|oattH  of  Jjordp  j|i3sions  of  llji!  ][fformfd  :|liui[ch  hi  Imerina. 


VV^  V.  V  C<^  » 


PAPERS  AND  ADDRESSES 


DELIVERED  AT 


THE  FIFTH 


Generkl  Missionhry 


H 


RENC 


H 


HELD  AT 


FON  DA,  N.  Y. 


November  18,  1885. 


ioaiiH  of  forfljn  J  issioiis  of  tl|i|  ^ffomctl  ||liuiich  in  Imcrica. 

^  J  J  J  J  • 


PAPERS  AND  ADDRESSES 

DELIVERED  AT 


THE  FIFTH 


ENERRL  MiSSIONHRY  CoNFERENC 


H 


HELD  AT 

FONDA,  N.  Y. 

NOVEMBER  18,  1885, 


New  Yoek  : 

KOGERS  &  SHERWOOD. 


1886. 


“CHRIST  FOR  THE  WORLD.^THE  WORLD  FOR  CHRIST.” 

The  KellgiouH  Faiths  of  Mankiud. 

PROTESTANT  CHRISTIANS,  116  MILLIONS. 


NON-PROTESTANT  CHRISTIANS,  275  MILLIONS. 


PAPISTS,  190  MILLIONS. 


(Armenians,  Etc.,  7  Mil. 


!■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■ 

■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■I 

iniasQBmniiiiaBiiiaBHn 


GREEKS,  78  MILLIONS. 


JEWS,  8  MILLIONS. 


3 

O 

X 

> 

3 

3 

m 

a 

> 

z 

</) 

o 

3 

F 

r 

o 

z 

v> 


Each  square  in  this  diagram  represents  one  million  souls.  The  division  according  to  reli¬ 
gious  faiths  is  based  on  the  estimates  of  Keith  Johnson  in  the  English  Church  Missionary 
Atlas.  Behm  and  Wagner  estimate  the  population  of  the  globe  somewhat  higher,  making  it 
E434»oc>o,C)00.  The  diagram  shows  that  there  are  :  — 

Protestant  Christians . 

{Papists . 190,000,000 

Greek . 78,000,000 

Armenians  and  other  sects,  7,000,000 

fjews . 8,000,000 

Mohammedans .  .  .  .  1 70,000,000 

Pagans . 8c;6,ooo,ooo  1,034,000,000 

Population  of  the  Globe .  1,425,000,000 

1  his  shows  that  about  8  })er  cent,  are  Protestant  C  hristians,  20  per  cent.  Non-Protestant 
Christians,  and  yj  per  ceyit.  J\igan  or  JMohattunedan. 

IFrom  the  Missionary  Herald,  A.  B.  C.  F.  M.\ 


1 1 6,000,000 


275,000,000 


THE  FIFTH  GENERAL 


Missionary  Conference. 


In  the  Conference  at  Fonda,  held  on  Tuesday  and  Wednesday,  November  17 
and  18,  1885,  the  Missionary  interests  of  our  Church,  both  Domestic  and  Foreign, 
undoubtedly  touched  high-water  mark.  For  earnest  and  sustained  enthusiasm, 
for  spiritual  power  and  uplift,  no  such  meeting  has,  in  the  opinion  of  experienced 
and  judicious  observers,  been  held  for  a  long  time,  if  ever,  in  our  Reformed 
Church.  Its  influence  should,  and,  by  the  blessing  of  God,  will  be  great  and 
lasting. 

The  Conference  opened  rightly,  an  entire  hour  being  devoted  to  prayer  and 
brief  devotional  addresses,  conducted  by  the  Rev.  E.  A.  Reed,  D.D.,  of  New 
York,  Chairman  of  Synod’s  Committee.  The  presence  of  the  Holy  Spirit  was. 
manifest,  and  His  influence  powerfully  felt.  The  impress  of  this  hour  was  on  all 
the  subsequent  sessions  to  the  close. 

Morning  Session,  November  18. 

The  sessions  devoted  to  Foreign  Missions  were  held  on  Wednesday,  the 
second  day,  and  were  begun  with  a  prayer-meeting  of  half  an  hour,  led  by  Dr. 
Wells,  of  Flatbush,  L.  I. 

The  first  paper  was  read  by  the  Corresponding  Secretary,  entitled  “  Our  Op¬ 
portunity  and  Our  Responsibility.”  This  was  followed  by  an  address  on  “The 
Educational  Policy  in  Foreign  Missions,”  by  the  Rev.  James  F.  Riggs,  of  Bergen: 
Point,  N.  J. 

After  singing  the  hymn.  “  Jesus  shall  reign  where’er  the  Sun,”  etc.,*  a  paper, 
prepared  by  Mrs.  M.  E.  Sangster,  on  behalf  of  the  Woman’s  Board,  on  “  Help 
for  Heathen  Women,”  was  read  by  Rev.  H.  N.  Cobb.  The  paper  treated  of  the 
various  agencies  by  which  heathen  women  are  to  be  raised  from  their  present 
benighted,  repressed,  and  apathetic  condition,  to  the  privileges  and  blessedness 
of  women  in  Christian  lands.  The  agencies  specified  were :  Girls’  Schools, 
Bible  Readers’  Work,  Zenana  Work,  and  the  Work  of  the  Medical  Missionary. 
As  Mrs.  Sangster  requests  that  this  interesting  and  admirable  paper  be  withheld 
from  publication,  it  is  not  presented  here  with  the  other  papers  and  addresses. 

The  Rev.  J.  Elmendorf,  D  D.,  of  Poughkeepsie,  N.  Y.,  followed  with  an  elo¬ 
quent,  spiritual,  and  closely  reasoned  paper  on  the  “  Reflex  Influence  of  Foreign 
Missions  ” 

After  singing,  an  animated  expression  of  opinions  and  experience  was  enjoyed 
by  those  who  listened,  during  more  than  an  hour.  This  instructive  comparison 
of  views  led  to  the  following  action,  preseted  by  Rev.  James  Demar  est,  Jr., 
D.D.,  of  Fort  Plain,  N.  Y. : 

Resolved^  That  it  is  the  sense  of  the  Conference  that  our  churches  should  supply  the  funds- 
needed  for  the  current  expenses  of  the  Sunday-schools,  so  that  the  contributions  of  the  school 
may  be  given  to  the  missionary  and  benevolent  objects  of  the  Church,  thus  educating  the  ris¬ 
ing  generation  in  the  principles  and  habit  of  benevolence  from  youth,  inculcating  in  their 
minds  enlarged  and  ever  enlarging  ideas  of  Christian  work. 

The  morning  session  then  adjourned,  with  the  Benediction. 


4  Fonda  Conference  Papers, 

Ladies’  Meeting. 

In  the  afternoon,  at  two  o’clock,  a  meeting  of  the  ladies  exclusively  was  held 
in  the  lecture-room  of  the  church,  continuing  about  an  hour  and  a  half,  when 
both  Boards  were  represented  by  ladies  conversant  with  their  work,  and  several 
very  pleasing  addresses  were  made. 

Afternoon  Session  of  Conference. 

The  Conference  assembled  at  half  past  two  o’clock,  when  Rev.  Dr.  James 
Demarest  read  the  Scripture  and  Rev.  Mr.  Vroom  led  in  prayer. 

The  Rev.  Alexander  R.  Thompson,  D.D.,  gave  a  glowing  account  of  the  recent 
seventy-fifth  annual  meeting  of  the  American  Board,  which  he  attended  as  the 
representative  of  the  Foreign  Board  of  our  own  Church. 

Rev.  J.  H.  Wyckoff,  of  Tindivanam,  India,  followed  with  a  strong  plea  for  the 
Arcot  Mission,  in  answer  to  the  question,  Shall  our  missionary  force  in  India  be 
increased  ?  or.  Shall  a  portion  of  the  field  be  transferi'ed  to  some  other  missionary 
society }  ^ 

The  hymn  “  Hark,  the  Song  of  Jubilee,”  etc.,  was  sung,  and  Rev.  Peter  E.  Kipp, 
of  Schenectady,  N.  Y.,  delivered  a  stirring  address  on  “  The  Divine  Purpose  in 
Missions.’’  This  purpose  was  educed  from  Prophecy,  the  Promises,  Providence, 
the  Progress  of  Christianity,  the  Potency  of  the  truth,  the  Persons  engaged  in 
the  work. 

Rev.  M.  H.  Hutton,  D.D.,  of  New  Brunswick,  N.  J.,  in  an  address  abounding 
in  points  and  terse  expressions,  replied  to  the  question,  “  Have  we  Reached  the 
Limit  of  our  Ability  and  Duty.^” 

After  Dr.  Hutton’s  address  no  less  than  eleven  definite,  practical  ten-minute 
speeches  were  made,  chiefly  in  regard  to  the  best  method  of  bringing  the  work 
and  its  wants  before  the  people. 

Evening. 

The  evening  session  was  in  the  interest  of  both  Domestic  and  Foreign  Missions, 
and  was  opened  with  prayer  by  Rev.  T.  Walker  Jones,  of  Holland,  Mich. 

The  Committee  on  Foreign  Missions,  consisting  of  Rev.  1.  S.  Hartley,  D.D., 
W.  W.  Clark,  and  Judge  Danforth,  presented  the  following  resolutions,  which 
were  heartily  and  unanimously  adopted  : 

1.  That  it  is  the  solemn  conviction  of  this  Conference  that  the  happy  day  for  whose  golden 
dawn  the  Church  of  Jesus  Christ  has  so  long  been  praying  is  now  upon  us. 

2.  That  as  its  brightening  sun  rises  and  scatters  far  and  wide  its  invigorating  rays,  it  sum¬ 
mons  all  Christians  to  thoroughly  awaken,  to  freely  sow  the  seed  of  the  eternal  Word  and  make 
ready  for  the  promised  harvest. 

3.  That  in  view  of  the  marked  advance  of  Foreign  Missions  and  the  numerous  fields  at  this 
anour  open  and  inviting  the  messenger  of  the  Gospel,  we  are  recreant  to  this  holy  cause  and  all 
which  it  represents  were  we  not  now  publicly  to  express  and  put  on  record  our  deepest  gr.ititude 
ito  the  great  Head  of  the  Church  in  permitting  us  to  witness  that  He  is  the  hearer  and  answerer 
of  prayer,  and  in  seeing  the  beginning  of  the  fulfilment  of  that  sublime  prophecy,  “  the  king¬ 
doms  of  the  world  are  become  the  kingdoms  of  our  Lord  and  of  his  Christ.” 

4.  That  as  the  field  of  Foreign  Missions  is  ever  enlarging,  it  is  only  by  renewed  consecra¬ 
tion,  by  renewed  effort,  and  by  constantly  increasing  contributions,  that  we  can  meet  this  solemn 
responsibility  now  so  surely  resting  upon  us. 

5.  That  the  increasing  usefulness  of  the  “  Woman’s  Board”  has  a  most  profound  claim  upon 
the  benevolence  of  all  who  love  the  Redeemer’s  kingdom ;  that  the  attention  of  our  pastors  be 
especially  called  to  its  purpose,  and,  in  the  judgment  of  this  Conference,  it  should  find  an 
organized  representation  in  every  church  constituting  our  communion. 


Fonda  Conference  Papers. 


5 


6.  That  we  heartily  and  unanimously  ratify  the  suggestion  of  the  General  Synod  that 
^100,000  is  not  too  great  a  sum  due  the  Foreign  Mission  work  for  the  current  year;  and  that 
we  earnestly  urge  upon  all  our  pastors,  elders,  and  the  congregations  under  their  charge,  to  use 
every  effort  for  the  accomplishment  of  this  desired  result. 

7.  That  the  Conference  recognizes  an  educated  native  ministry  as  a  prime  factor  in  the  suc¬ 
cess  of  Foreign  Missions ;  and  that  it  herewith  commends  the  question  of  careful  and  more 
abundant  provision  for  the  support  of  educational  institutions  in  connection  with  our  Zion. 

8.  That  the  work  in  the  Arcot  Mission  rather  than  suffering  depletion,  if  possible,  be  imme¬ 
diately  increased  by  more  help,  and  that  the  Board  be  requested  to  give  special  consideration 
to  the  appeal  made  to  this  Conference  in  its  behalf. 

9.  That  this  Conference  encourages  the  Board  to  believe  that  the  Church  will  sustain  it  in 
sending  to  the  field  every  qualified,  attested,  consecrated  son  or  daughter  of  the  Church  for 
whom  it  may  have  actual  place  and  work ;  and  we  believe  that  the  Church  will  ratify  such 
action ;  and  further,  as  representative  churches,  we  do  herewith  pledge  ourselves  to  do  all  in 
our  power  to  make  this  assurance  good. 

10.  Since  all  power  is  of  God  to  do  His  work  and  all  success  is  of  Him,  since  this  Divine 
power  is  needed  now  as  never  before,  and  will  continue  to  be  needed  more  and  more,  and 
since  we  know  that  there  is  power  yet  undeveloped  in  the  Church  to  accomplish  all  and  more 
than  all  we  are  now  called  upon  to  do,  we  would  invite  our  entire  Church  to  more  frequent, 
earnest,  and  united  prayer,  that  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord  may  fall  in  power  and  giving  power  on 
all  our  churches,  girding  them  anew  for  the  blessed  work  He  has  given  us  to  do. 

11.  That  the  Boards  of  Foreign  and  Domestic  Missions  be  requested  to  prepare  for  gratuitous 
distribution,  in  such  forms  as, their  wisdom  suggests,  the  several  papers  and  addresses  which 
have  been  read  and  delivered ;  also  such  resolutions  as  have  been  introduced  relating  to  their 
united  interests. 

12.  That  so  soon  as  possible  after  the  publication  of  these  resolutions  they  be  read  from  all 
the  pulpits  in  our  Reformed  Church. 

After  the  adoption  of  this  report  and  that  on  Domestic  Missions,  stirring  ad¬ 
dresses  were  delivered  by  Rev.  F.  S.  Schenck  and  Rev.  Ame  Vennema  on  Do¬ 
mestic  Missions,  and  on  Foreign  Missions  by  Rev.  John  G.  Fagg  and  Rev.  J.  H. 
Wyckoff. 

Closing  addresses  and  farewells  were  spoken  by  Rev.  F.  V.  Van  Vranken  and 
Dr.  DeBaun,  and  by  Dr.  P.  D.  Van  Cleef,  who  had  admirably  presided  during  the 
sessions  of  the  Conference, 

After  singing  the  hymn 

“  O  Spirit  of  the  living  God, 

In  all  Thy  plentitude  of  grace, 

Where’er  the  foot  of  man  hath  trod, 

Descend  on  our  apostate  race  !” 

and  the  three  following  verses,  with  the  Doxology,  the  benediction  was  pro¬ 
nounced  by  Dr.  DeBaun,  and  the  Conference  adjourned. 

The  singing  was  remarkable  for  volume,  power,  and  harmony.  The  attendance 
and  interest  were  marked  and  sustained  throughout.  The  hospitality  of  the 
good  people  of  Fonda  and  Fultonville  was  unbounded. 

In  compliance  with  the  nth  Resolution  of  the  Conference,  the  following  papers 
and  addresses  are  printed  in  the  order  in  which  they  were  delivered,  by  the 
Board  of  Foreign  Missions.  Through  a  very  liberal  arrangement  with  the 
American  Board,  the  very  striking  and  eloquent  diagram  of  “  Religious  Faiths 
of  Mankind  ”  is  prefixed. 

Upon  this  publication  and  its  distribution  among  the  Churches,  the  blessing  of 
the  Lord  of  Missions  is  fervently  invoked. 

New  York,  January,  1886. 


6 


Fonda  Conference  Papers. 


PAPER  ON  OUR  OPPORTUNITY  AND  OUR 

RESPONSIBILITY. 

By  Rev.  Henry  N.  Cobb,  D.D.,  Corresponding  Secretary. 

WHAT  HAS  BEEN  DONE. 

From  this  church,  one  of  the  smaller  Christian  bodies  of  our  country,  as  we 
all  know,  have  ^one  out,  since  the  departure  of  Dr.  John  Scudder  in  1819,  45  or¬ 
dained  missionaries,  3  unordained  physicians,  44  married  and  21  single  ladies — a 
total  of  1 13,  of  whom  49  are  now  in  the  service  of  the  Board. 

To  these  may  properly  be  added  the  19  ordained  native  pastors,  and  186  other 
helpers,  making  a  total  working  force,  native  and  foreign,  of  254. 

To  maintain  this  work  the  Church  has  given,  since  1857,  but  little  less  than 
$1,700,000  ($1,685,881.80),  an  average,  for  the  twenty-eight  years  of  separate  action, 
of  about  $60,000,  and  increasing  from  $27,000,  the  average  of  the  first  five  years,  to 
$76,000  and  upwards  ($76,308),  the  average  of  the  last  five.  It  is  not  easy  to  say 
how  much  was  given  before  the  separation  from  the  American  Board,  but  prob¬ 
ably  not  less  than  $300,000  in  twenty-five  years — thus  making  a  round  $2,000,000 
since  the  organization  of  this  Board. 

Of  the  tangible  results  of  this  labor  and  liberality,  let  forty-one  churches  speak, 
of  3,200  members,  giving  in  one  year,  out  of  their  deep  poverty,  nearly  $5,000  for 
the  work  of.the  Lord.  Nine  seminaries,  or  academies,  enrolling  420  pupils,  and 
ninety-three  dav-schools  with  more  than  2,300  scholars,  all  of  them  studying, 
among  and  above  other  things,  the  Word  of  God.  But  who  shall  estimate,  or 
by  what  arithmetic  shall  be  computed,  or  in  what  tables  stated,  the  indirect 
results  of  all  these  godly  and  devoted  lives,  these  faithful  labors,  these  successful 
and  influential  institutions.^  It  is  surely,  then,  no  time  for  us  to  falter.  What 
ca7i  we  do  but  address  ourselves  reverently,  heartily,  courageously  to  the  future, 
to  the  opportunities  and  responsibilities  that  now  await  us  } 

OUR  OPPORTUNITY. 

It  is  not  possible,  though  it  would  no  doubt  be  profitable,  to  enter  upon  those 
general  considerations,  favorable  to  progress,  and  calling  for  it,  which  are  appli¬ 
cable  to  all  Christians  and  all  churches  alike — arising  out  of  new  and  favorable 
conditions  both  at  home  and  abroad,  the  onward  march  of  a  world-embracing 
Providence.  What  affects  the  Church  at  large  affects  us  also,  and  conditions  fav¬ 
orable  to  the  wide  and  vigorous  prosecution  of  missionary  work  in  general,  cannot 
but  be  felt  in  the  fields  and  work  that  God  has  given  to  us.  But  necessity  com¬ 
pels  us  to  narrow  the  limits  of  this  discussion — to  restrict  our  vision  to  our  own 
present  sphere  of  operations. 

Regarding  which  I  have  to  say  that,  great  and  blessed  as  the  work  already  is» 
it  is  yet  totally  inadequate  to  the  demands  of  the  present  time,  in  all  our  fields  ; 
and  that,  whether  we  consider  the  location  and  extent  of  our  mission  fields,  the 
need  of  missionary  work,  or  the  conditions  that  favor  its  extension. 

These  missions  are  located  in  the  most  prominent,  the  most  important,  and 
the  most  promising  fields  in  the  world  to-day.  They  partake,  not  only  of  the 
vastness  and  importance  ot  those  great  empires,  but  they  share  also  in  the  more 


Fonda  Conference  Papers, 


7 


favorable  conditions,  the  improved  facilities  for  missionary  labor  which  are  found 
in  them — the  openness,  the  ease  and  frequency  of  acces^s  and  communication,  the 
breaking  down  of  barriers,  the  new  spirit  of  inquiry,  the  possession  of  the  Scrip¬ 
tures  in  the  native  tongues,  the  prestige  of  Western  civilization  and  the  introduc¬ 
tion  of  its  most  characteristic  improvements  and  inventions,  and,  above  all,  in 
the  great  and  rapid  advance  of  the  Redeemer’s  cause  in  all  these  lands  in  the 
last  twenty  years.  So  far  as  we  are  in  this  work  we  are  in  a  successful  move¬ 
ment — whose  progress  is  marked  by  rates  of  increase  that  may  well  surprise  us. 
These  fields  share,  too,  in  the  dangers  that  come,  not  unmarked  nor  inconsider¬ 
able,  from  the  diffusion  of  intelligence  and  from  the  unrestricted  intercourse  of 
nation  with  nation.  If  success  gives  opportunity,  the  unsettling  of  the  old  faiths  and 
customs  and  the  spread  of  the  irreligion,  the  rational  philosophy,  and  even  the 
scoffing  and  ribald  infidelity  of  Western  nations  into  Japan  and  India,  and  even 
China,  make  that  opportunity  most  critical.  Added  to  these  considerations  is 
that  most  important  and  solemn  one,  of  extent,  of  numbers,  of  niMltitudes  igno¬ 
rant  of  the  way  of  life  and  perishing  for  lack  of  knowledge.  Who  shall  say  that 
for  these  millions  dependent  on  us  for  the  knowledge  of  that  way,  we  have  yet 
begun  to  make  adequate  provision  } 

To  beginwiih  China. — We  have  beenwont  to  say  and  think  that  here  3,000,000 
of  people  are  to  be  counted  as  so  depending  upon  us.  This  would  be,  of  itself, 
enough  to  claim  our  most  serious  thought  and  most  earnest  endeavor.  But  even 
this  our  veteran  Dr.  Talmage  resents  as  an  unwarranted  limitation,  claiming,  with 
good  show  of  reason,  that  it  would  be  more  correct  to  say  that  10,000,000  are 
within  our  reach.  And  these  in  China,  that  great  empire,  that  crowded  bee-hive 
of  industrious  humanity.  And  these  accessible  to  missionary  effort.  It  was  not 
always  so — not  until  comparatively  recent  years.  Till  lately,  missionary  effort 
was  of  necessity  confined  chiefly  to  the  coast.  It  is  so  no  longer.  Every  province 
is  accessible,  and  every  part  of  every  province,  that  in  which  Amoy  is  situated 
among  the  rest.  Missionaries  may  go  where  they  will  and  find  a  welcome. 
Their  wives  meet,  in  towns  far  in  the  interior,  with  throngs  of  eager  and  atten¬ 
tive  women,  anxious  to  see  and  hear  a  foreign  woman  who  can  speak  to  them  in 
their  own  tongue,  and,  more  than  all,  can  tell  them  the  story  that  has  in  it  hope 
for  women  who  hitherto  have  had  no  hope  for  themselves. 

In  the  rapid  progress  of  the  Gospel  in  Japan,  its  near  neighbor,  the  scarcely 
less  wonderful  progress  in  China  has  been  overlooked.  Since  1878,  the  year  of 
the  Shanghai  Conference,  the  number  of  missionaries  of  both  sexes  in  China  has 
increased  from  473  to  851,  about  80  per  cent.,  the  number  of  native  preachers 
from  750  to  1,450,  nearly  100  per  cent.,  and  of  converts,  from  13,035  to  26,287,  or 
more  than  double.  Other  missions,  meantime,  have  been  pushing  their  way 
into  the  interior,  planting  their  stations  in  many  inland  towns.  We,  with  like 
opportunities,  still  cling  to  the  coast.  No  missionaries  have  yet  been  stationed 
outside  of  Amoy  since  we  first  went  there  forty  years  ago,  while  towns  of  in¬ 
fluence  and  importance  invite  our  occupation,  and  millions  of  heathen  wait  and 
perish.  Is  there  no  opportunity  for  enlargement  here  1 

Of  India,  there  is  less  need  that  I  should  speak  at  length,  because  happily 
our  Arcot  Mission  is  represented  by  one  of  its  own  honored  and  successful  mis¬ 
sionaries.  But  I  may  call  your  attention  in  the  briefest  way  to  a  few  facts  that 
go  to  show  the  extent  and  importance  of  our  opportunity  there.  The  first  is  that 
each  year  our  brethren  report  the  application  of  heathen  villages  to  be  received 
under  Christian  instruction,  which  they  are  compelled  to  decline  for  lack  of  men. 
I  quote  from  one  of  them  words  written  only  a  short  time  ago  :  “  Again  and 


8 


Fonda  Conference  Papers. 


again  it  has  resulted  from  such  preaching  (among  the  heathen)  that  the  people  of 
some  village  or  hamlet,  or  cluster  of  hamlets,  have  said,  ‘  We  are  convinced  of 
the  truth  of  what  you  say,  and  of  the  worthlessness  of  our  idols.  Send  us  a 
teacher  to  instruct  us  in  the  gospel  way,  and  we  will  give  up  our  old  way  and  em¬ 
brace  It.’  We  have  not  been  able  to  furnish  them  a  teacher,  and  after  months 
of  waiting  they  have  lost  their  awakened  desire  for  Christian  instruction,  and 
dropped  back  into  all  their  heathen  observances,  and  been  harden  to  reach  again.” 
“  When  our  mission  is  so  crippled  for  funds,  there  have  been  times  ’’ — think  of  it,, 
brethren — “  when  we  have  almost  dreaded  to  have  people  say,  *  We  will  embrace 
Christianity  now  if  you  will  give  us  a  teacher,’  and  have  almost  hesitated  to  tour 
in  a  region  where  the  people  have  shown  an  inclination  to  accept  the  Gospel  in¬ 
vitation.”  And  yet,  as  Christian  influence  increases,  and  the  Gospel  is  proclaimed 
more  widely,  the  number  of  such  applications  must  increase. 

Another  fact  noted  by  our  brethren  is  the  gradual  loosening  of  the  bonds  of  caste, 
the  breaking  down  of  its  odious  and  oppressive  system  of  restrictions,  its  bitter 
prejudices  and  obstacles  to  Christian  effort  and  success,  and  the  greater  and 
marked  readiness  everywhere  to  listen  to  the  Word  of  God  with  attention  and  re¬ 
spect.  Add  to  this  the  undoubted  waking  up  of  the  Hindoo  mind,  even  in  “  the 
benighted  Presidency”  of  Madras,  to  the  great  evils  and  inequalities  that  darken 
their  social  and  family  life  and  the  condition  of  their  women — all  these  are  opening 
and  may  be  expected  still  to  open  an  ever  wider  door,  and  more  effectual  to  our 
brethren  in  this  field. 

A  paper  recently  prepared  by  Drs.  Chamberlain  and  Wm.  Scudder,  and 
carefully  revised  by  Mr.  Wyckoff,  contains  the  names  of  eight  “centres  of 
population  and  influence,”  five  of  them  among  the  Telugus  in  the  North  Arcot 
district,  “which  ought  to  be  occupied  by  missionaries,”  in  addition  to  those  now 
occupied  by  us.  For  the  immediate  necessities  of  the  Telugu  work  two  mission¬ 
ary  families  would  not  be  too  many.  Already  our  failure  properly  to  supply  it 
has  invited  the  encroachment  of  the  German  Lutherans  adjoining  us  on  the 
Northeast.  And  now,  for  the  second  time,  the  mission  formally  and  earnestly 
ask  that  this  whole  district,  represented  b)'"  Madanapalle  and  Palamanair,  held  so 
long  by  Dr.  Chamberlain,  and  now  by  Dr.  William  Scudder,  be  given  up,  or  its 
equivalent  in  the  southern  portion  of  the  field,  unless  a  considerable  increase 
can  be  made  in  the  means  provided  by  the  Church  for  carrying  on  their  growing 
work.  This  is  our  opportunity  in  India. 

Of  fapan,  the  marvelous  progress  of  the  Gospel  there,  the  growth  of  the 
native  church,  the  great  and  multiplying  opportunities  for  labor,  it  is  impossible 
to  speak  at  length.  Perhaps  it  is  not  needful,  so  widely  is  the  wonderful  story 
known.  Speaking  as  men,  we  have  not  dealt  ungenerously  by  Japan.  Our  con¬ 
tributions  of  men  and  money  for  her  benefit  have  for  several  years  outstripped 
those  for  India,  and  been  double  those  for  China.  The  last  has  literally  been 
first  with  us  and  the  first  last.  It  has  not  been  our  fault  that  it  is  so.  The  provi¬ 
dence  of  God  has  led  us  on  in  this  direction,  as  it  has  led  other  churches  also. 
Yet  even  so  we  have  not  kept — we  cannot  keep — pace  with  the  opportunities  for 
Christian  effort  that  offer  there.  So  great  and  promising  are  these,  within  reach  of 
the  capital,  especially  in  Sendai  and  in  Tosa,  that  one  of  our  brethren  has  not  hesi¬ 
tated  to  suggest  the  withdrawal  of  our  entire  force  from  Nagasaki,  that  these  new 
fields  may  be  occupied  at  once. 

On  the  other  hand,  the  hard,  discouraging  field  of  Nagasaki  and  Kiu  Shiu  at 
last  yields  in  a  manner  that  surprises  those  w^ho  knew  it  best,  and  longed  and 
hoped  and  prayed  for  such  a  day  to  come.  The  hide-bound  prejudice — the  en- 


Fonda  Conference  Papers. 


9 


venomed  hatred  of  “the  Jesus  doctrine”  and  the  blessed  Name,  show  signs  of 
weakening — organized  opposition  is  breaking  down.  It  used  to  be  said,  “  Who¬ 
ever  gets  Satsuma’s  men,  controls  Japan  ” — and  Satsuma’s  men  are  listening  to 
the  Gospel. 

What  wonder  that  our  brethren  there,  especially  he  who  has  toiled  and 
waited  there  alone  so  long,  before  whose  eyes  such  things  are  coming  to  pass, 
plead  earnestly  for  the  fulfilment  of  their  hopes — for  schools  and  men  and  women. 
“  There  are  inquirers  everywhere,”  they  say.  “  Are  we  not  on  the  eve  of  a  great 
and  glorious  ingathering  of  souls  ?” 

Such  is  the  opportunity,  too  briefly  and  incompletely  stated,  that  presents 
itself  to  us  in  every  field.  It  is  an  opportunity  that  can  be  met  only  by  a  large 
increase  in  men  and  means. 

It  is  a  special  and  hopeful  phase  of  this  situation,  that  the  advance  for  which 
it  calls  may  be  largely  made  through  native  agents  trained  for  the  work.  Its 
very  wideness — the  greatness  of  its  demands  upon  us,  lend  new  importance  to  the 
provision  of  such  agency,  and  of  the  means  by  which  it  may  be  secured  and 
trained.  For  the  establishment  of  missions  and  Gospel  institutions,  for  the 
supervision  of  labor,  for  the  training  of  helpers,  for  the  conduct  of  schools,  the 
missionary  is  indispensable,  and  more  could  not  only  be  advantageously  employed, 
but  are  sorely  needed  in  all  our  fields.  But  for  wide-spread  evangelization,  the 
opportunity  for  which  is  opening  before  us  everywhere,  the  main  reliance  must 
be  on  native  workers.  This  agency  is  home-born.  It  is  of  the  people  and  comes 
near  to  them.  It  is  comparatively  inexpensive.  As  compared  with  the  cost  of 
maintaining  a  missionary  family,  the  ratio  of  expense  is  as  one  to  ten.  Before 
the  wide  fields  open  to  our  view  and  to  our  labor,  how  wise,  how  vastly  impor¬ 
tant  to  make  liberal  provision  for  a  large  increase  in  this  invaluable  agency, 
and  for  those  institutions  by  means  of  which  its  development  and  training  must 
be  secured  and  carried  on.  No  need  is  more  pressing,  at  Amoy  and  Nagasaki, 
than  provision,  in  teachers  and  buildings,  for  such  schools.  Our  useful  and 
valued  institutions  in  India  and  at  Tokiyo,  in  Japan,  need  strengthening  and  de¬ 
velopment  if  they  are  to  accomplish  their  best  work.  The  church  that  prepares 
and  sends  out  the  largest  number  of  worthy  native  evangelists  to  work  among  these 
great  peoples,  will  no  doubt  exercise  the  largest  influence  for  their  speedy  and 
complete  enlightenment.  In  every  field  we  have  existing  institutions  which  only 
need  to  be  fostered  and  developed  to  supply  the  need. 

We  may  well  give  thanks  to  God  that  He  has  put  it  into  the  heart  of  one  of 
His  servants,  the  President  of  the  Board  of  Foreign  Missions,  to  bestow  the 
generous  gift  of  $5,000  to  provide  such  a  school  at  Nagasaki.  The  gift  accentuates 
the  Church’s  opportunity  to  do  greater  and  better  things  for  Nagasaki,  for  Kiu 
Shiu,  and  for  Japan. 

Another  feature  of  our  opportunity,  and  one  that  has  at  times  been  most  per¬ 
plexing,  has  reference  to  the  supply  of  men.  Other  Boards  lack  them,  cannot 
find  them — publish  their  appeals  for  them.  The  American  Board,  at  its  late  an¬ 
niversary,  asked  for  fifty,  and  declared  it  more  difficult  to  find  the  men  to  go 
than  to  obtain  the  means  to  send  them.  With  us  it  is  not  so.  Whether  the  fire 
of  missionary  zeal  burns  more  brightly  in  our  seminary  and  in  the  hearts  of  our 
young  men  than  elsewhere,  we  may  not  say.  But  this  is  true,  that  for  every  post 
now  waiting  supply  from  us,  the  men  have  offered  or  stand  ready  to  make  offer 
of  their  services.  One  of  the  last,  two  of  the  present  Senior  Class,  and  probably 
others,  are  at  the  service  of  the  Church  for  foreign  work.  I  could  name  six 
whose  wish  has  directly  or  indirectly  come  before  the  Board — students  of  medi- 


10 


Fonda  Conference  Papers, 


cine  and  Theology — and  at  its  last  meeting,  in  the  midst  of  profoundest  silence 
one  of  the  classical  missionary  agents  present  rose  and  offered  himself — to  go  to 
“  any  of  the  foreign  fields  of  the  Church,  where  his  presence  may  be  desirable  or 
necessary.”  Do  not  such  facts  as  these,  and  others  that  might  be  added,  consti¬ 
tute  a  part  of  our  opportunity  which  we  may  not  rightly  overlook  ?  Is  it  not  as 
though  the  Lord  Himself,  pointing  with  His  left  hand  to  the  fields,  were  saying 
as  we  gather  here  to-day,  “  Look  upon  them,  they  are  white  already  unto  har¬ 
vest,”  and  with  His  right  were  leading  up  His  laborers,  called  and  chosen  for  us 
to  send,  if  we  will,  into  the  harvest  in  His  name  ? 

OUR  RESPONSIBILITY. 

I  have  little  time  and  space  to  speak  of  our  responsibility.  And  I  confess  I 
know  not  how  to  speak  of  it  as  I  would  and  ought.  Somehow  it  staggers  me.  I 
know  it  staggers  others,  for  they  have  told  me  so.  It  does  certainly  seem  that 
where  the  providence  of  God  opens  to  us  such  opportunities.  He  expects  us  to 
advance. 

1.  The  very  success  and  blessing  of  the  past  involve  responsibility.  We  are 
bound  by  the  holiest  considerations  to  go  on  and  complete  the  work  we  have 
begun,  so  fast  and  so  far  as  we  are  able.  We  have  come  under  obligations  that 
cannot  be  thrown  off,  to  the  missionaries  we  have  sent  into  the  field,  to  the 
churches  we  have  planted,  the  schools  we  have  established,  the  helpers  we  have 
trained  and  put  into  the  work,  the  heathen  communities  in  the  midst  of  whom 
and  for  whose  benefit  all  this  work  has  been  carried  on.  “  Sir,”  said  a  heathen 
to  one  of  our  missionaries,  “  why  do  you  come  and  preach  to  us  just  often  enough 
to  make  us  dissatisfied  with  our  own  way,  and  not  enough  to  explain  to  us  your 
way,  that  we  may  understand  it  and  embrace  it.’’  We  have  no  right  to  go  about 
unsettling  the  faith  of  men,  even  in  India  and  China,  unless  we  mean  and  really  try 
to  give  them  a  better  faith  in  its  place.  The  work  we  have  done  is  all  of  it  and. 
every  part,  only  a  beginning.  It  is  a  virtual  if  not  a  verbal  promise  of  more.  If 
such  were  not  our  conscientious  purpose,  our  deliberate  intention,  in  going  to 
China  or  Japan  or  India,  we  might  better  have  stayed  at  home  and  left  the  work 
to  other  and  more  faithful  hands  and  more  believing  hearts. 

2.  By  both  the  blessing  and  work  of  the  past  and  the  opportunity  of  the  present,, 
we  come  under  increased  responsibility  to  the  Lord  from  whom  they  all  proceed. 
The  calls  that  come  to  us  are  His  calls.  He  will  not  cease  to  call  till  His  work 
is  done — completely  done — His  high  and  broad  commission  executed  by  his  dis¬ 
ciples,  and  His  Gospel  preached  to  every  creature — His  kingdom  established  over 
all  the  earth.  But  to  him  that  hath  shall  be  given,  and  from  him  that  hath  not 
shall  be  taken.  If  we  have  really  no  more  that  we  can  do  to  meet  His  calls  and 
do  his  work,  be  it  so.  But  then  we  may  expect — we  ought  to  expect — that  what 
we  have  will  be  taken  from  us.  But,  blessed  be  His  name,  it  is  not  taken.  He 
does  not  so  judge.  He  looks  upon  the  past  and  says,  “  I  give  you  more  to 
do,”  and  opens  our  opportunity  before  our  eyes.  It  is  a  gift  of  grace.  It  carries 
with  it  solemn  responsibility  for  souls  and  for  the  glory  of  the  Lord. 

3.  If  responsibility  can  be  summed  up  in  dollars,  there  is  every  reason  to  be¬ 
lieve  that  if  the  $100,000  suggested  by  the  General  Synod  for  this  year  could  be 
obtained,  and  such  a  rate  of  contribution  maintained  for  years  to  come,  the  ad¬ 
vances  indicated  in  this  paper  could  be  made  within  two  years,  and  the  work  and 
Church  made  ready  for  the  next  onward  step  to  which  the  Lord  may  call.  The 
Amoy  Mission  could  be  brought  to  something  like  equality  in  numbers  and  re¬ 
sources  with  our  other  missions — the  Telugu  portion  of  the  Arcot  Mission 
manned  with  force  sufficient  to  show  real  occupancy  and  an  earnest  purpose  to 


Fonda  Conference  Papers, 


1 1 

supply  its  multitudes  with  the  Gospel — and  the  immediate  wants  of  the  Japan 
Mission,  both  at  Tokiyo  and  Nagasaki,  be  supplied.  If  a  new, estimate  of  the  im¬ 
portance  of  the  missionary  work,  and  a  new  spirit  of  consecration  shall  take  pos¬ 
session  of  the  hearts  of  all  our  people,  it  will  not  be  difficult  to  raise  $ioo,ooo.  If 
there  be  no  such  spirit  it  will  prove  impossible. 

4.  I  cannot  forbear  a  word  concerning  the  responsibility  of  the  Church  to  her 
earnest-hearted  sons  and  daughters,  and  to  the  Lord  for  them  and  for  the  use 
she  makes  of  them.  It  is  not  likely  to  be  any  other  than  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord 
who  moves  them  to  go  far  hence  unto  the  heathen.  The  Church  has  too  many 
promising  openings  here  for  her  promising  young  men.  Ought  she,  then,  ever  to 
say  No  !  or  suffer  her  Board  to  say  it,  to  properly  qualified,  duly  attested,  sin¬ 
cerely  consecrated  men  or  women  who  offer  for  this  service  ? 

5.  And  finally,  are  we  not  responsible,  before  God,  for  such  methods,  such 
thorough  organization,  above  all  for  the  promotion  and  prevalence  of  such  a 
spirit  as  shall  secure  the  means  necessary  for  the  work  committed  to  us.  “  Doing 
great  things  for  the  heathen  ” — and  these  are  confessedly  great  things  for  us  to 
do — “  doing  great  things  for  the  heathen  has  ceased  to  be  a  question  of  power  ; 
henceforth  it  is  simply  a  question  of  will.”  So  wrote  Mr.  Secretary  Treat,  of  the 
American  Board,  so  long  ago  as  1867.  If  it  were  true  then,  much  more  is  it  true 
to-day.  We  all  confess  it  in  regard  to  ourselves.  It  was  confessed  here  yester¬ 
day,  on  this  floor,  when  it  was  said  more  than  once,  “  there  is  money  enough  in 
the  Church.”  Yes,  brethren  and  sisters,  we  do  well  to  remember  that  it  is  not  a 
question  oi  power.  But  power  undeveloped  is  as  useless  as  though  it  had  never 
been.  What,  then,  shall  make  the  latent  power  we  all  confess,  the  effective  power 
we  all  desire  }  What  but  a  consecrated  will,  under  the  constraining  influence  of 
the  Holy  Ghost. 

To  those  who  will  do  great  things  for  Him,  He  will  give  great  grace,  great 
opportunities,  great  power,  and  great  success.  May  such  gifts  be  ours,  and  to 
His  blessed  name  shall  be  the  praise. 


11. 

A  NATIVE  MINISTRY. 

Address  by  Rev.  James  F.  Riggs,  Bergen  Point,  N.  J. 

.  THE  EDUCATIONAL  POLICY  IN  FOREIGN  MISSIONS. 

The  great  commission  is  to  bring  all  men  to  Christ.  A  genuine  native  min¬ 
istry  will  be  found  the  most  mighty  instrument  for  the  accomplishment  of  this 
end. 

In  the  opening  of. Christian  work  in  heathen  lands,  the  agents  are  by  necessity 
of  foreign  birth  and  training  ;  but  it  is  our  firm  belief  that  an  excessive  reliance 
has  been  put  in  this  same  foreign  education.  After  the  pioneer  comes  the 
preacher,  and  after  the  preacher  comes  the  teacher,  the  instructor,  the  man  who 
sees  clearly  the  supreme  need  of  a  body  of  natives  qualified  to  carry  on  the  work. 
The  evangelist  must  prepare  the  way  for  the  pastor;  the  pastor  must  do  a  like 
work  for  the  professor  of  theology,  and  thus,  in  due  time,  as  God  shall  enable 
us  to  do  so,  we  will  pass  over  the  entire  administration  of  the  work  of  Christ  into 
native  hands. 


12 


Fonda  Conference  Papers, 


Has  not  the  time  now  come  for  a  fuller  committal  of  ourselves  to  this  educa¬ 
tional  policy  in  our  foreign  work  ?  We  fully  recognize  the  spiritual  nature  of 
that  charge  which  Christ  gave  to  his  disciples  ;  we  know  perfectly  that  the  Gos¬ 
pel  is  designed  to  reconcile  sinners  to  God,  not  to  impart  culture  ;  we  have  no 
purpose  of  departing  from  this  accepted  law,  but  we  believe  that  the  best  way  to 
preach  is  to  preach  through  the  lips  of  men  who  are  akin  to  those  that  listen. 
Englishmen,  Greeks,  or  Japanese,  let  them  have  a  simple  Gospel  spoken  by  their 
own  brethren. 

There  has  always  been  a  measure  of  educational  influence  associated  with  the 
work  of  our  missionaries,  because  the  Gospel  cultivates  the  entire  man,  not  the 
soul  only.  The  men  sent  abroad  by  all  our  foreign  Boards  have  recognized  the 
training  of  native  youth  as  one  important  means  of  grace,  to  be  noted  with  care, 
as  a  method  co-ordinate  with  others.  But  our  plea  is  that  it  should  be,  in  these 
days,  something  more  than  a  method,  that  it  should  be  the  policy  of  our  work. 

In  support  of  this  plan  we  argue  : 

I.  The  time  for  such  a  system  has  arrived. 

II.  There  is  a  demand  for  it  on  the  field. 

III.  The  history  of  our  schools  is  a  vindication  of  such  a  policy. 

First — The  time  has  arrived  for  the  adoption  of  an  educational  policy. 

The  progress  of  evangelical  work  is  nearly  the  same  on  a  small  scale  or  on  a 
wide  field.  Whether  we  look  at  a  village  ora  continent,  the  essential  phenomena 
of  religious  life  will  be  found  the  same.  The  dashing  method,  the  boldness  of 
some  apostolic  messenger  opens  the  way  for  the  entrance  of  the  light.  Then  the 
preaching  method,  the  laborious  presentation  of  the  Gospel  by  the  missionary 
who  lingers  in  one  spot,  imparts  new  and  higher  views  of  truth,  preparing  souls 
to  accept  salvation  and  to  live  by  the  Gospel  as  a  rule,  both  of  faith  and  practice. 
S®  much  as  this  has  been  done  in  a  very  large  number  of  places ;  the  missionary 
who  was  a  pioneer,  broke  through  into  the  heart  of  heathenism,  and  the  missionary 
who  was  a  preacher,  organized  a  church,  or  a  community  of  listeners.  Now  the 
time  has  come  for  something  higher  yet ;  it  is  time  to  turn  these  listeners  into- 
preachers  !  it  is  time  to  pass  from  preaching  to  training,  and  to  exchange  the 
giving  for  stimulating,  and  instead  of  imparting  the  Gospel,  show  the  converts 
how  to  impart  it. 

Work  is  quite  as  necessarf  fora  man  as  food  ;  and  this  applies  to  spiritual  work 
as  well  as  material.  After  a  man  has  been  fed,  give  him  his  proper  task,  and 
when  the  heathen  has  been  rescued  from  his  folly,  and  taught  the  elements  of 
the  Gospel,  when  he  has  been  ied  with  the  true  manna,  let  him  find  his  work 
also;  let  him  who  has  received  freely  impart  freely. 

Another  fact  bears  upon  this  view,  namely,  the  substantial  completion  of  the 
great  work  undertaken  by  the  Bible  societies,  the  effort  to  make  the  Scriptures- 
accessible  to  all  men.  Half  a  century  of  most  remarkable  effort  has  been  ex¬ 
pended  on  this  work  of  translation,  and  it  has  been  accomplished.  Revisions 
will  doubtless  come  in  due  time,  as  required,  but  the  foundation  has  been  laid  t 
the  Bible  is  translated  into  all  the  most  important  tongues  of  men.  In  view  of 
this  significant  achievement,  and  in  view  of  the  close  relation  that  must  subsist 
between  exegetical  study  and  the  preaching  of  the  Gospel,  we  conclude  that  the 
completion  of  these  versions  in  several  hundred  languages  is  in  itself  a  call  to 
converted  young  men  to  take  the  Bible  and  go  with  it  into  every  home,  carrying- 
the  love  of  God,  the  light  of  a  dark  world.  It  is  now  time  to  advance  in  this 
matter  of  multiplying  native  preachers. 


Fonda  Conference  Paper s»  13 

Second — There  is  a  demand  for  the  native  minister  in  the  field. 

This  demand  shows  itself  both  in  a  loud  call  for  preachers  who  are  ready  to 
take  hold  of  the  work,  and  in  an  earnest  request  for  higher  education  on  the  part 
of  young  men  who  have  been  awakened,  In  this  respect,  in  the  sincerity  of  the 
demand,  the  present  is  a  golden  opportunity  that  may  never  return.  Students 
come  to  the  college  at  Aintab  (Turkey),  and  volunteer  to  do  any  kind  of  work 
that  may  be  assigned  them  in  the  effort  to  meet  necessary  expenses.  They  do 
thus  very  nearly  pay  their  way  in  some  instances,  and  the  last  annual  report 
states  that  about  thirteen  thousand  hours  of  labor  were  expended  by  the  students 
under  the  direction  of  the  faculty  during  the  academical  year  1883-4.  The 
students  wash  dishes,  build  walls,  dig  cisterns,  and,  in  a  word,  do  all  sorts  of  mis¬ 
cellaneous  work  that  may  be  within  their  range. 

This  eager  desire  to  be  taught  is  in  itself  a  very  important  fact ;  it  is  a  sound 
basis  for  effort ;  the  missionary  not  being  hampered  by  indifference,  as  in  the 
earlier  stages.  A  serious  and  genuine  desire  of  this  sort  will  find  some  supply 
in  time,  and  if  we  do  not  furnish  an  education  that  is  evangelical,  some  spu¬ 
rious  education  will  be  thrust  in  that  is  not  at  all  evangelical.  The  Mohammedans 
are  moving  along  lines  of  their  own  in  this  matter;  so  are  the  Gregorian  Ar¬ 
menians  ;  so  are  the  Greeks,  both  in  Greece  and  in  Turkey,  and  the  power  of  a 
symmetrical  Protestant  education  must  be  shown  promptly,  or  we  shall  lose  the 
vantage  ground  we  now  occupy.  Thus  far  there  is  nothing  to  compete  with  our 
Protestant  institutions  in  the  large  majority  of  cases,  as  in  Syria,  Egypt,  and 
Turkey.  But  as  yet  the  supply  is  very  far  short  of  the  demand.  Prussia,  a  sin¬ 
gle  State,  has  13,000  university  students,  and  the  immense  empire  of  the  Turkish 
Sultan  hib  a  few  hundred  only  !  We  may  admit  that  education  has  been  over¬ 
done  in  some  places,  but  it  is  not  so  in  the  outlying  desert  of  the  heathen  world. 
Shall  we  give  them  a  Christian  training  that  will  furnish  a  supply  of  preachers,  or 
shall  we  let  the  whole  work  of  shaping  the  intellectual  future  of  the  nations  go 
into  the  hands  of  those  who  are  in  league  with  our  foe  ? 

Third— The  history  of  mission-schools  is  a  complete  vindication  of  this  plan. 

The  experiment  has  been  tried  ;  schools  have  been  organized  and  faithful  work 
done  in  them.  It  has  been  proved  that  a  young  man  can  be  educated  in  many 
places  at  an  expense  of  fifty  dollars  a  year.  It  has  been  proved  that  the  expense 
is  increasing,  and  that  it  will  cost  more  in  the  future  than  at  present.  These 
young  men  have  shown  a  good  spirit,  a  courageous  spirit,  and  they  have  vindi¬ 
cated  their  right  to  stand  up  for  truth  in  Christian  pulpits.  They  can  speak  in 
perfect  freedom  to  their  brethren  ;  they  have  no  brogue  in  utterance ;  they  can 
begin  at  onc^,  while  the  foreign  missionary  requires  a  long  training  to  get  into 
sympathy  with  native  modes  of  thought  and  expression. 

Another  evidence  of  success  in  what  has  been  done  already  may  be  seen  in 
the  estimate  of  that  work  on  the  part  of  the  enemy.  Mission  schools  are  not 
viewed  with  indifference  by  those  who  represent  hostile  systems,  as  we  may 
readily  see  in  the  general  reference  to  such  institutions  in  the  native  press.  An 
example  of  this  may  render  the  case  more  clear. 

Rev.  George  Washburn  was  once  treasurer  of  the  missions  of  the  A.  B.  C.  F.  M. 
in  Turkey.  After  some  years  he  beame  the  President  of  the  Robert  College, 
Constantinople.  Upon  this  one  of  the  Armenian  papers,  in  an  unfriendly  article, 
made  this  comment  (quoted  from  memory)  : 

‘‘This  man  Washburn  is  a  wonderful  manager;  he  used  to  sit  behind  a  desk  paying  out 
money  to  make  men  Protestants ;  but  he  has  found  a  better  trick  than  that ;  now  he  sits  be¬ 
hind  a  desk  taking  in  money  to  make  men  Protestants  !  He  is  a  wonderful  man  !” 


14 


Fonda  Conference  Papers. 


The  value  of  this  remark  as  a  verdict  is  that  it  comes  surprisingly  near  the 
truth.  We  think  that  it  is  decidedly  better  that  men  should  pay  in  certain  ways 
for  being  made  Protestants  ! 

The  educated  native  preacher  can  do  a  work  that  no  other  can.  And  our  work 
is  now  looking  that  way.  We  do  not  profess  to  set  forth  finished  results.  We 
do  not  claim  to  play  on  the  harp  of  a  thousand  strings,  but  we  are  trying  to  put 
it  in  tune,  so  that  in  the  time  appointed  He  may  come  who  shall  reign,  and  when 
His  hand  sweeps  the  strings  there  will  be  melody,  and  there  will  be  harmony, 
celestial  music. 


HI. 

THE  REFLEX  INFLUENCE  OF  FOREIGN  MISSIONS. 

By  Rev.  J.  Elmendorf,  D.D.,  Poughkeepsie,  N.  Y. 

My  theme  grows  out  of  and  is  inseparable  from  the  broader  and  more  funda¬ 
mental  topic — The  Reflex  Influence  of  Missions. 

A  Christian  missionary  is  any  believer  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  who,  in  obedi¬ 
ence  to  His  command,  is  preaching  the  Gospel  to  some  creature  who  had  not  re¬ 
ceived  it.  Primarily,  location,  whether  near  or  afar,  enters  not  into  the  idea. 
Andrew  exemplified  the  missionary  spirit  and  its  normal  action,  when  self-moved, 
he  found  his  brother  Peter,  and  brought  him  to  Jesus  with  the  argument :  “  We 
have  found  the  Messias.” 

This  case  shows  that  Christ  s  parting  command — His  Church’s  greaf  commis¬ 
sion  of  evangelization  for  all  time — was  the  formulation  of  a  law  of  Christian 
duty,  that  voiced  the  first  promptings  of  souls  made  alive  by  the  faith  of  Christ. 
The  words  of  the  Holy  Ghost  on  the  sacred  page  and  on  the  fleshly  tables  of  the 
renewed  heart  are  identical.  And  the  reflex  or  retroactive  influence  of  all  obedi¬ 
ence  to  divine  commands  deepens  and  makes  more  distinct  the  soul’s  conscious¬ 
ness  of  their  correspondence.  Hence  the  self-evidencing  power  of  divine  truth, 
and  the  reason  of  Jesus’  words,  “  If  any  man  willeth  to  do  his  will,  he  shall  know 
of  the  teaching  whether  it  be  of  God.” 

The  reflex  influence  of  missions  is  of  this  kind,  because  missionary  effort  is 
obedience  to  the  most  impressive,  comprehensive,  unqualified  order  that  ever 
fell  from  our  Lord’s  lips.  It  is  the  most  enduring  also,  for  its  force  cannot  be  at 
all  lessened  until  the  great  voices  in  heaven  shall  declare  :  “  The  kingdoms  of  this 
world  are  become  the  kingdoms  of  our  Lord  and  of  his  Christ ;  and  he  shall  reign 
for  ever  and  ever.” 

Obedience  to  this  command  is,  therefore,  not  only  universally  and  perpetually 
obligatory,  but  disobedience  destroys  all  claims  to  Christian  discipleship.  For 
within  the  sound  of  Christ’s  words  and  within  sight  of  His  example,  the  heart 
that  is  not  moved,  in  some  degree,  to  give  the  bread  of  life  to  those  who  are  per¬ 
ishing  for  lack  of  it,  is  no  more  Christian  than  is  the  heart  human,  that  is  un¬ 
touched  by  the  piteous  moans  of  the  starving  and  refuses  them  food.  Christian 
development  is  no  more  predicable  of  such  heart  than  is  growth  of  a  stone,  to 
which  the  Scriptures  liken  it.  Yet  growth  is  as  certainly  the  law  of  the  spiritual 
life  in  human  souls  as  it  is  of  vegetable  or  animal  life  in  the  organisms  it  vitalizes, 
And  the  real  progress  of  Christ's  kingdom  in  the  earth  is  measured  by  the  spiritual 
growth  of  individual  believers. 

Moreover,  such  growth,  while  it  implies,  is  most  certainly  and  successfully 


Fonda  Conference  Papers. 


15 


secured  by  missionary  effort,  because  it  involves  increasingly  such  action  of  the 
intellectual,  77ioral,  and  spiritual  faculties  as  clears  and  deepens  the  believers  con¬ 
sciousness  of  u7iio7i  in  thought,  purpose,  sympathy,  and  satisfaction  with  Jesus 
Christ  in  the  objects  and  end  of  His  own  mission  to  our  world. 

The  new-born  soul,  tasting  that  the  Lord  is  good,  and  rejoicing  in  hope  of  His 
glory,  inevitably  sends  the  inquiry  heavenward,  “  Lord  what  wilt  Thou  have  me 
to  do?”  And  the  converted  Saul  of  Tarsus  was  no  more  directly  and  definitely 
sent  into  the  city  with  the  promise,  “  It  shall  be  told  thee  what  thou  must  do,’' 
than  IS  each  inquirer  since,  sent  to  the  Scripture  record  of  Jesus’  life  and  teach¬ 
ings  for  the  same  object. 

Yet,  until  the  question  of  Christian  duty  is  considered  in  the  light  of  the: 
Scriptural  missionary  idea,  intellectual  perceptions  and  convictions  concerning: 
Christ’s  teachings  and  examples  on  the  subject  do  not  amount  to  adequate  re¬ 
ligious  forces. 

It  is  the  missionary  idea  that  enlarges  the  view  and  deepens  the  conviction  of 
Christian  obligation,  as  it  is  missionary  effort  through  these  that  preaches  the-. 
Gospel  in  the  regions  ever  “  beyond  you.”  And  as  all  the  direct  influence  of  the: 
missionary  idea,  and  the  direct  benefits  of  missionary  effort  are  toward  and  for 
their  objects,  so  the  beneficial  influence  of  the  idea,  no  less  than  of  the  effort,, 
upon  the  missionary  worker,  must  be  reflex.  The  enlarged  views  and  deep¬ 
ened  convictions  react  upon  the  idea  to  clear  and  elevate  it,  and  this  again 
stimulates  the  thoughts  to  grasp  more  fully  the  thought  of  the  Lord,  and  the 
feelings  to  respond  to  his  pity  for  the  lost.  As  compared  with  the  intellectual 
illumination  of  Christendom  at  the  commencement  of  this  century,  that  of  to-day 
concerning  the  missionary  work  the  Church  77iust  do,  is  a  fulfillment  of  the  pro¬ 
phet’s  radiant  vision — “The  light  of  the  moon  shall  be  as  the  light  of  the  sun,  and 
the  light  of  the  sun  shall  be  sevenfold.” 

And  yet,  the  proportions  of  this  duty  have  only  fairly  begun  to  dawn  upon  the 
apprehension  of  the  Church.  Truly  did  Secretary  Judson  Smith  declare  in  his 
paper  presented  at  the  late  Anniversary  Meeting  of  the  A.  B.  C.  F.  M.,  “  It  is 
but  the  fringes  of  heathenism  which  we  have  touched  thus  far.  Nothing  that  we 
have  thought  of  or  attempted  is  yet  finished.  Everywhere  our  work  is  just  begun, 
or  is  reaping  the  first  fruits,  or  is  preparing,  upon  the  ground  of  certain  positive 
gains,  to  go  forward  on  a  larger  scale  to  a  broader  result.  While  the  countless 
hosts  of  heathenism  still  include  the  vast  majority  of  the  human  race  ;  and  while 
this  great  mass  of  heathenism  moves  on  its  dark  way  unillumined  and  unchecked 
and  while  in  nominally  Christian  lands  so  large  an  amount  of  godlessness  and 
practical  atheism  confront  us,”  can  any  thoughtful  Christian  feel  that  the  work 
of  the  world’s  salvation  has  been  more  than  just  begun  ? 

It  is  the  sight  of  the  7nultitudes  harassed  and  destroyed  by  sin,  that  moves  the- 
disciple  with  deepest  compassion  for  them,  as  it  did  the  Master,  and  inspires, 
earnest  prayers  for  more  laborers.  Certainly,  the  prayerful  contemplation  of  the. 
expanding  field  for  missionary  labor  which  missionary  labor  discloses,  must  scv 
react  upon  the  intellect  of  the  Church,  as  to  compel  it  to  face  the  weighty  prac¬ 
tical  questions  concerning  a  corresponding  expansion  of  its  missionary  plans  and 
efforts.  And  so, 

2.  The  moral  faculties  of  believers  are  exercised  and  proved  by  this  influence. 

Can  the  ever  enlarging  vision  of  perishing  myriads,  which  makes  the  Christian  s 
brain  throb  with  conviction,  and  his  heart  palpitate  with  emotion,  constrain  his 
will  to  such  determined,  persistent,  self-denying  effort  in  getting  the  knowl¬ 
edge  of  God’s  salvation  to  them,  as  shall  show  that  the  indwelling  Spirit  of  Christ 


i6 


Fonda  Conference  Papers, 


is  dominant  in  his  soul?  This  is  the  ever  continuing  test,  by  which  the  ever 
exigent  cause  of  Missions  discloses  to  us  our  moral  harmony  with  Jesus  Christ, 
in  the  great  work  of  the  world’s  recovery  to  God  :  a  work  given  directly  to  His 
beloved  Son  by  the  Eternal  Father,  and  as  directly  committed  by  that  Son,  clothed 
with  resurrection-authority  and  power,  to  His  disciples  who  should  be  in  the  world. 

The  growing  needs  of  the  cause  must  call  for  more  and  more  prayer,  for  larger 
gifts  of  our  money,  for  more  earnest  efforts  to  enlist  the  sympathies  and  help  of 
our  companions  :  may  call  for  our  sons  and  daughters  to  recruit  the  hai  dly  pressed 
company  of  laborers  in  heathen  fields;  may  give  the  cry  “come  over  and  help 
us  ”  a  personal  direction,  through  providential  indications  and  deepening  con¬ 
victions,  which  shall  demand  the  measure  of  consecration  that  answers,  “  Here 
am  I,  send  me  !”  But  whatever  the  service  or  sacrifice  demanded  may  be,  blessed 
are  they  whose  consciousness  of  moral  union  with  their  Lord  shall  enable  them 
with  some  measure  of  His  holy  and  triumphing  submission  to  say  :  “  Father,  not 
my  will,  but  Thine  be  done.’’  And  thus : 

3.  This  demonstrated  moral  union  with  Jesus  shall  make  more  definite  and 
deep  their  sympathy  and  satisfaction  with  Him,  in  the  objects  and  end  of  His 
mission  to  our  world,  through  the  quickened  action  of  the  spiritual  faculties. 

ft  is  by  spiritual  apprehension  that  the  things  of  the  Kingdom  of  God  become 
verities  to  the  soul  made  alive  by  His  Spirit.  The  elemental  powers  or  faculties 
of  His  life  are  faith  and  love,  so  intimately  united  that  faith  can  express  its  work¬ 
ings  through  love,  and  yet  not  become  identical  with  it.  The  distinction  must 
be  maintained.  In  the  outward  as  well  as  inward  workings  of  the  spiritual 
life,  faith  must  energize  the  will,  while  love  moulds  the  effort.  Faith  accepts  the 
obligation  ;  love  fulfils  it.  Faith  grasps  the  divine  and  brings  the  soul  under  the 
power  of  eternal  realities  ;  love  assimilates  it  to  them.  In  every  effort  of  a  child 
of  God  to  obey  his  command,  faith  must  hear  the  order,  accept  the  pledged  aid, 
while  love  constrains  and  consecrates  the  whole  soul  to  the  service.  And  it  is 
in  the  manifest  and  mighty  reflex  influence  of  Foreign  Missions  upon  Christian 
faith  and  love  that  its  reality  and  importance  most  appear. 

As  we  have  seen,  missionary  work  properly  begins  with  the  nearest  accessible 
souls  that  have  not  received  a  knowledge  of  the  way  of  life.  Every  sincere  effort 
to  convert  such  is  a  “work  of  faith  and  labor  of  love,”  and  reacts  beneficially 
upon  these  fundamental  fruits  of  the  spirit.  But  when  missionary  work  becomes 
distinctively  foreign,  its  reflex  power  is  much  increased  for  manifest  reasons.  It 
is  more  certainly  unselfish.  Nearer  labors  may  be,  but  they  are  likely  to  be  prose¬ 
cuted  with  motives  and  feelings  quite  complex.  The  promptings  of  kinship, 
common  nationality,  patriotism,  may  be  large  factors  in  the  enthusiasm  which 
would  purify  and  mould  the  public  life  of  one’s  own  community  or  country  by  the 
principles  of  the  Gospel  of  Christ.  And  while  these  elements  are  lawful  and 
admirable,  they  make  devotion  to  the  cause  less  disinterested,  less  Christlike, 
less  single  for  the  glory  of  God  in  the  salvation  of  souls.  And  all  observation, 
historic  testimony  and  experience  prove  that,  according  to  the  unselfishness  of 
service  done  for  God  and  man,  is  the  measure  of  blessing  reflected  upon  its  authors. 

Moreover,  the  reflex  influence  of  Foreign  Missions  greatly  strengthens  faith, 
both  by  the  increasing  demands  which  the  work  makes  upon  it,  and  the  equal  en¬ 
couragement  it  gives  to  it. 

The  prophet’s  vision  of  the  “  open  valley  ”  of  very  dry  bones  finds  its  most 
fearful  realization  in  the  vast  wastes  of  heathendom,  and  the  stark  spiritual  death 
and  unutterable  desolation  which  reigns  there.  And  the  unceasing  appeal  of  the 
Foreign  Missionary  work  to  every  interested  believer  is  :  “  Can  these  bones  live  ?” 


Fonda  Conference  Papers. 


17 


Can  such  howling^  wilderness  ever  be  made  like  Eden,  and  such  desert  like  the 
garden  of  the  Lord  ?  Then,  while  struggling  faith  clings  to  the  word  :  “  All 
power  is  given  unto  me  in  heaven  and  in  earth,”  it  gains  literal  assurance  as  it 
gazes  entranced  at  the  radiant  transformations  which  Christ’s  power  through  His 
Gospel  is  effecting.  The  comprehensive  reviews  of  the  work  which  have  just 
been  made  so  thoroughly  and  presented  by  so  many  eloquent  pens  and  tongues, 
•clearly  authorize  Dr.  Storrs’  weighty  characterization  of  its  progress  :  “  It  admits 
no  parallel  and  outruns  expectation.” 

Single  facts  and  scenes  amount  to  conclusive  earnests  and  divine  pledges  of 
the  final  and  universal  triumph  of  the  cause. 

Thus  we  conclude,  as  we  regard  the  baptismal  font  in  the  great  church  at  Bau 
in  the  Fiji  Islands,  and  remember  that  it  is  the  transformed  famous  stone  which 
for  ages  stood  in  front  of  the  chief  heathen  temple  there,  and  against  which  the 
heads  of  innumerable  victims  of  cannibal  orgies- were  crushed. 

This  we  feel,  as  we  contemplate  the  memorial  tablet  of  Dr.  John  Geddie  in 
the  pretty  church  at  Anelcanhet  on  Aniteum,  the  first  island  christianized  of 
the  New  Hebrides  group.  Drawn  to  the  shameless  and  fierce  cannibals  there, 
from  his  home  in  Nova  Scotia,  by  a  divine  call  scarcely  less  distinct  and  resistless 
than  was  that  which  carried  Paul  to  Macedonia,  he  began  and  prosecuted  for 
years  his  work  amid  difficulties,  dangers  and  discouragements,  that  could  not  have 
heen  greater.  But  the  result  is  told  in  yonder  inscription,  in  the  native  language 
of  the  people  :  “  When  he  landed  in  1848  there  was  no  Christian  here;  and 

when  he  left  in  1872  there  were  no  heathen.’’ 

By  the  same  reflex  influence  Christian  love  is  intensified  for  the  numberless 
souls  yet  perishing,  and  for  the  Saviour  who  has  provided  for  them  an  adequate 
salvation  :  Christian  zeal  is  warmed  incalculably,  by  the  radiant  examples  of  con¬ 
secration  and  self-denial,  which  in  the  lives  and  labors  of  missionaries  illumine 
the  dark  places  of  the  earth ;  true  Christian  unity  in  its  idea  and  spirit  is  de¬ 
veloped  resistlessly,  by  the  common  desire  breathed  in  the  prayers  and  echoed 
in  the  praises  of  all  Christendom,  and  by  the  demonstrated  worthlessness  of 
denominational  distinctions  in  evangelizing  heathen  lands. 

So  every  distinct  foreign  missionary  call,  appeal,  result,  report,  quickens  and 
stimulates  the  divine  life  in  believing  souls,  and  qualifies  them  for  more  abundant 
sacrifices  and  more  glorious  acquisitions.  Its  inevitable  forces  cause  a  mighty 
action  and  reaction  in  the  minds  and  hearts  of  those  they  reach,  which  bear  them 
through  the  sublime  realizations  of  peace  by  agitation,  strength  by  weakness,  in¬ 
crease  by  dispersion,  exaltation  by  humiliation,  until  the  full  blessedness  of  giv¬ 
ing  over  receiving  pervades  their  souls  with  a  thrilling  foretaste  of  millennial 
rapture,  and  tunes  their  tongues  to  swell  the  praises  of  Him,  who  by  the  cross 
obtained  His  crown. 

My  single  thought  from  our  theme  of  exhaustless  suggestiveness,  has  been — 
The  divine  life  or  Spirit  of  Christ  in  believers  the  earthly  source  and  measure  of 
the  Church  ;  missionary  power  and  the  development  of  this  power  by  the  reflex 
influence  of  missionary  undertakings  and  successes.  But  we  need  to  see  and 
ever  feel  that  the  divine  order  of  the  growth  of  this  power  is  within  and  from 
individual  souls.  As  these  with  increasing  truthfulness  can  say,  For  me  to  live 
is  Christ,”  the  Church  will  become  more  demonstrably  her  embodied,  living,  lov¬ 
ing,  triumphing  Lord. 

When  then,  nations  are  ready  to  be  born  in  a  day,  but  the  Church  is  not  strong 
enough  to  bring  them  forth  ;  when  kingdoms  closed  against  it  since  the  “  king¬ 
dom  of  heaven’’  came  to  earth,  have  opened  wide  their  gates  and  are  inviting  the 


i8 


Fonda  Conference  Papers, 


entrance  of  gospel  truth  and  grace,  but  the  Church  is  not  able  to  go  up  and  pos¬ 
sess  them,  must  we  not  conclude  that  her  inability  to  grow  to  the  full  stature 
thus  marked  for  her  by  providential  opportunity,  is  due  to  the  feebleness  of  her  life  ? 

But,  when  He  who  is  His  people’s  life  declares,  “  I  am  come  that  they  might 
have  it  more  abundantly,’’  why  does  not  His  life  abound  in  them  ?  When,  in 
Him  who  is  their  life  “  dwelleth  all  the  fullness  of  the  Godhead,”  why  are  they 
not  “  filled  with  all  the  fullness  of  God  ”?  Clearly,  because  the  circulation  of  His 
vitalizing  spirit  in  them  is  resisted  by  the  remaining,  deadening  life  of  self  and  sin. 
And  the  only  cure  for  this  is  closer,  conscious  union  of  His  disciples  with  their 
Lord  in  His  thought,  purpose,  sympathy,  satisfaction  in  the  work  of  the  world’s 
salvation.  And  we  all  know  that  this  can  be  secured  only  by  the  Holy  Ghost, 
who  takes  of  the  things  of  Christ  and  shows  them  to  believers.  The  divine  life 
in  them  can  grow  only  by  the  abiding  and  pervading  presence  and  power  of  Him 
who  quickened  them  when  they  were  dead 'in  sin.  But  the  relation  of  my  thought 
to  this  truth  is  that  the  work  of  Foreign  Missions  is  the  Spirit’s  mightiest,  even 
indispensable,  instrumentality  in  effecting  this  growth,  because  by  His  blessing  it 
is  an  ever  enlarging  and  strengthening  cause  of  it. 

In  natural  things,  when  the  growth  of  the  life  principle  is  checked  or  culmin¬ 
ates,  the  vigor  of  the  organism  it  vitalizes  begins  to  fail.  It  is  so  in  spiritual 
things.  The  individual  Christian  ;  the  Church  ;  the  Christian  denomination  that 
ceases  to  grow  commences  to  /  wane. 

The  instances  are  innumerable  like  that  in  Dr.  Andrew  Fuller’s  pastoral  ex¬ 
perience,  when  the  languishing  graces  and  dying  spirituality  of  his  church,  which 
his  best  efforts  had  been  unable  to  rally,  were  wonderfully  revived  and  developed 
by  the  cause  of  Foreign  Missions  which  then  arose,  and  which  was  warmly  es¬ 
poused  by  his  people. 

Dr.  Anderson  declared,  “  It  was  painfully  certain  that  the  infant  churches  on 
the  Sandwich  Islands,  regarded  as  a  whole,  could  not  be  raised  to  the  level  of  en¬ 
during  and  effective  working  churches,  without  a  stronger  religious  influence 
than  could  be  brought  to  act  upon  them  from  within  their  own  christianized 
islands.  It  is  also  evident  that  the  missionaries  themselves  then  needed  an  addi¬ 
tional  motive  power  beyond  what  the  islands  any  longer  afforded.  It  was 
precisely  this  discovery — for  discovery  it  was — which  gave  rise  to  the  mission  to 
Micronesia.” 

Because  the  field  of  Foreign  Missions  is  ever  enlarging,  the  growth  of  the  life  of 
the  Spirit  in  the  souls  that  push  the  cause  must  be  unlimited.  And  as,  by  the  very 
reflex  influence  of  the  expanding  work,  the  spiritual  vigor  of  the  workers  is  made 
equal  to  its  increasing  demands  upon  them,  all  that  is  needed  for  its  consumma¬ 
tion  is  the  reduction  of  this  simple,  certain  philosophy  to  universal  fact. 

Can  we  brethren,  and  those  we  represent,  so  pray,  “  Thy  kingdom  come,”  etc., 
that  the  answer  shall  be  the  conscious  growth  of  the  life  of  Christ  in  our  souls 
Can  we  so  gain  His  meekness  and  lowliness  of  heart,  and  so  learn  of  Him — under 
the  stress  of  His  work  laid  upon  us — that  essential  greatness  in  His  kingdom  is  by 
service,  enrichment  by  imparting,  enjoyment  by  self-denial,  life  by  death,  as  that 
the  divine  vitality  of  the  self  sacrificing  love  which  bore  Him  to  the  depths  of 
Gethsemane  and  Calvary,  shall  declare  ffself  in  His  followers,  going  with  “shoes 
of  swiftness  ”  to  all  lands  of  darkness,  and  telling  of  the  salvation  that  is  in  Him 
to  the  last  of  those  sitting  in  the  region  and  shadow  of  death  }  If  so,  the  ever 
quickened  pulsations  of  the  ever  strengthened  heart  of  Jesus’  mystical  body  shall 
send  the  life-blood  coursing  to  its  farthest  extremities,  until  it  shall  fill  the  earth, 
and  then  forever  be  filled  with  the  glory  in  which  He  and  all  His  shall  appear. 


F:,nda  Conference  Papers. 


i9 


IV. 

PAPER  ON  THE  ARGOT  MISSION. 

By  Rev.  John  H.  Wyckoff,  Tindivanam,  India. 

Shall  our  missionary  force  in  India  be  increased,  or  shall  a  portion  of  the  Arcot 
Mission  field  be  abandoned  by  our  church  and  transferred  to  another  missionary 
society.^  This  is  the  subject  that  we  are  to  discuss  in  this  paper. 

The  Arcot  Mission  was  organized  in  1853,  with  three  missionaries  occupying 
three  stations — Vellore,  Chittoor  and  Arni,  all  in  the  North  Arcot  district,  and 
from  which  the  mission  derives  its  name.  In  1855,  two  more  missionaries  ar¬ 
rived,  when  two  new  stations,  Arcot  and  Palamanair,  were  taken  up,  and  work 
also  begun  at  Coonoor,  on  the  Neilgherry  Hills.  In  1861,  the  five  missionaries 
had  increased  to  nine,  and  so  confident  were  the  Mission  that  they  would  be  still 
farther  re-enforced,  that,  with  the  approval  of  the  Board,  they  very  considerably 
extended  the  Mission  boundaries,  opening  stations  at  Madanapalle  in  tlie  north, 
and  Tindivanam  in  the  south — points  130  miles  apart.  The  field  thus  occupied 
embraced  the  greater  part  of  the  North  Arcot  district ;  two  counties  in  the  South 
Arcot,  and  three  counties  in  the  Cuddapah  districts — covering  an  area  of  more 
than  8,000  square  miles,  with  a  population  exceeding  two  millions.  The  above 
has,  since  1861,  been  regarded  as  the  field  of  the  Arcot  Mission,  from  no 
part  of  which  has  the  Mission  felt  at  liberty  to  withdraw  without  the  sanction  of 
the  Board.  To  this  must  be  also  added  the  hill  station,  Coonoor,  with  its  de- 
pendenc  es. 

Let  us  now  see  how  the  Reformed  Church  has  cared  for  the  field  entrusted  to 
Ler  in  India. 

Please  note  that  this  immense  district  was  occupied  when  there  were  nine  men 
in  the  Mission,  with  the  prospect  of  that  number  being  increased.  But  not 
only  was  the  number  of  missionaries  not  increased,  but  after  1862,  the  ex¬ 
isting  force  was  year  by  year  weakened.  In  1863,  the  nine  missionaries  were  re¬ 
duced  to  eight;  in  1864,  to  seven  ;  in  1869,  to  six  ;  and  in  1872  there  were  but  five 
men  in  the  field.  The  outbreak  and  progress  of  the  Civil  War  during  a  part  of 
this  period,  no  doubt,  tended  largely  to  retard  the  efforts  of  the  Church  at  home  ; 
but  will  that  suffice  to  account  for  the  astounding  fact  that  from  i860  to  1872 — a 
period  of  twelve  years — not  a  single  re-enforcement  was  sent  to  the  Arcot  Mis¬ 
sion,  to  take  the  place  of  the  four  men  who  had  been  compelled  to  retire  ? 

A  reduction  of  appropriations  for  the  general  expenses  of  the  Mission,  also, 
followed  the  decline  of  the  missionary  force.  In  1871,  the  Board  were  obliged 
to  call  upon  the  Mission  to  retrench  to  the  amount  of  $5,000.  The  work  had  to 
be  contracted  in  every  department,  and  received  an  injury  from  which  it  has 
never  recovered.  Evangelistic  tours,  which  had  been  considered  one  of  our  most 
important  agencies,  were  entirely  suspended  ;  the  Ranipett  Hospital,  which  had 
greatly  increased  the  influence  of  the  Mission,  passed  under  the  control  of  gov¬ 
ernment,  and  became  almost  completely  secularized ;  the  educational  work  was 
also  largely  curtailed,  as  well  as  other  important  interests  sacrificed. 

Discouraging  as  the  greater  part  of  this  period  was,  the  decade  that  followed 
{1871  to  1881)  was  far  more  disheartening. 

True,  three  new  men  arrived  during  the  first  half  of. the  decade;  but  one  of 
them  soon  became  disabled,  three  of  the  oldest  and  best  missionaries  returned 
home,  and  the  Mission  was  left  at  the  beginning  of  1876,  with  a  working  force  of 


20 


Fonda  Co7iference  Papers. 


three  men, one  of  whom  was  unordained.  Throughout  the  greater  part  of  six 
years  (1875  to  1881),  three  men,  and  part  of  the  time  two  men,  cared  for  the  en¬ 
tire  interests  of  the  Mission,  carrying  a  burden  for  which  nine  men  had  been 
thought  insufficient.  Thus  the  history  of  the  Arcot  Mission  for  nearly  a  score  of 
years  is  the  history  of  an  attempt  to  work  an  immense  field  with  a  force  lament¬ 
ably  inadequate  to  compass  it. 

The  year  i88i  marked  a  new  era  in  our  mission  history.  The  three  mission¬ 
aries  were  then  increased  to  four ;  the  following  year  they  numbered  five ;  the 
next  year  six ;  and  at  the  close  of  1884,  the  Mission  was  composed  of  eight  men. 
The  annual  meeting  of  the  Mission,  held  in  January  last,  was  attended  by  seven 
missionaries,  a  larger  number  than  had  assembled  for  eighteen  years. 

But  the  Church  must  not  stop  here.  The  Mission  has  not  yet  recovered  the 
force  it  had  in  i860.  Our  evangelistic  work  is  almost  as  extensive  as  it  was  then, 
while  the  pastoral  and  educational  work  has  increased  fourfold.  Are  eight  men 
sufficient  to  compass  a  field  as  large  as  the  State  of  New  Jersey,  with  double  its 
population?  We  do  not  expect,  we  do  not  ask  the  Church  to  place  a  foreign 
missionary  in  every  town  or  village  in  our  field.  We  do  not  believe  that  India 
IS  to  be  evangelized,  except  indirectly,  by  foreign  missionaries  ;  we  are  certain 
that  the  native  converts  themselves  are  to  be  the  chief  instruments  in  their 
country’s  conversion.  All  we  ask  is  that  missionaries  be  stationed  at  a  few  cen¬ 
tral  points  from  which  they  can  train  and  direct  a  native  agency. 

Let  us  now  inquire  directly,  what  are  the  present  needs  of  the  Arcot  Mission. 
Speaking  for  the  Tamil  field,  the  first  great  want  is  a  trained  teacher  to  take 
charge  of  the  Arcot  Seminary.  For  years  have  the  Mission  pleaded  for  a  man 
for  this  institution.  In  1881.  although  the  missionary  force  consisted  of  but  four 
men,  the  Mission,  feeling  it  to  be  supremely  important,  placed  the  seminary 
under  Rev.  Mr.  Conklin’s  care,  directing  him  to  give  it  his  first  attention,  even 
at  the  expense  of  other  work.  The  steady  advance  in  efficiency  that  the  school 
has  made  since  that  date,  proves  that  the  step  taken  by  the  Mission  was  wise. 
But  the  wants  of  the  institution  have  only  been  partially  met.  With  a  station  and 
several  out-stations  on  his  hands,  Mr.  Conklin  cannot  give  his  whole  time  to  the 
seminary.  What  is  needed  is  a  Christian  layman  to  take  charge  of  the  secular 
department,  leaving  the  theological  class  and  the  work  of  the  station  to  the  or¬ 
dained  missionary.  Could  a  competent  man,  normal  trained,  be  secured,  it  is 
more  than  probable  that  one-third  of  his  salary  would  be  met  by  the  Government 
of  India,  which  is  making  liberal  grants  to  all  educational  institutions. 

Our  next  want  is  one  more  missionary  for  the  Tamil  field.  Two  new  stations 
— Guriattam  in  the  north,  and  Wandiwash  in  the  .south — ought  to  be  occupied 
with  as  little  delay  as  possible.  As  early  as  1862,  Guriattam  was  adopted  as  a 
mission  station,  and  Dr.  John  Scudder  appointed  to  reside  there;  but  the  mis¬ 
sionary  force  being  suddenly  reduced,  the  station  was  relinquished.  Twice  during 
the  last  twelve  years  have  other  societies  asked  to  be  allowed  to  enter  this  place, 
but  we  have  forbade  their  doing  so,  hoping  to  occupy  it  ourselves. 

A  new  station  should  also  be  opened  at  Wandiwash  in  the  south.  This  town 
lies  midway  between  Arni  and  Tindivanam,  and  is  the  centre  of  a  field  even  more 
promising  than  Guriattam.  If  these  two  points  are  not  speedily  taken  up  by  us 
other  societies* will  enter  into  the  very  midst  of  our  mission  field. 

A  third  want  is  an  increased  appropriation  for  the  general  work  of  the  Mission. 
Not  only  should  the  annual  grant  to  the  Arcot  Seminary  be  increased,  so  that  a 
more  efficient  staff  of  teachers  may  be  employed,  but  the  standard  of  the  prepar¬ 
atory  schools  at  the  various  stations,  which  act  as  feeders  to  the  central  institu¬ 
tion,  must  be  likewise  raised. 


Fonda  Con ference  Papers. 


21 


In  the  matter  of  education,  we  stand  at  the  the  tail-end  of  all  missionary 
societies  of  the  Madras  Presidency ;  and,  as  a  consequence,  we  have  to  go  to 
other  missions  for  teachers  for  many  of  our  schools.  All  the  best  positions  in 
our  higher  institutions  are  held  by  men  educated  in  other  societies. 

We  ask  also  to  be  enabled  to  resumeevangelistic  work  which  has  been  virtually 
suspended  since  1871.  There  are  whole  counties  where  the  gospel  has  scarcely 
been  preached  for  fifteen  or  twenty  years.  We  have  men  now  to  do  the  work, 
but  means  must  be  provided  to  meet  expenses  incurred  in  traveling  about  the 
district. 

Such  are  some  of  the  immediate  wants  of  the  Tamil  field.  We  would  like  to 
enlarge  upon  their  importance,  but  time  forbids. 

We  shall  now  consider  the  claims  of  the  Telugu  field.  It  covers  an  area  almost 
as  large  as  the  Tamil  district,  but  with  a  population  considerably  less.  Let  us 
briefly  recount  the  history  of  the  field.  The  central  station  is  Madanapalle, 
which  stands  in  the  centre  of  a  district  about  equal  in^size  to  the  State  of  Con¬ 
necticut.  Into  this  wide  and  weary  waste  of  heathenism.  Dr.  Chamberlain  en¬ 
tered  for  the  first  in  1862,  and  labored  for  twelve  years  single-handed,  appealing 
again  and  again  for  help,  but  in  vain.  In  1873,  just  as  he  was  beginning  to  reap 
the  fruits  of  his  labors,  he  was  stricken  down  bv  illness,  and  returned  home  after 
fourteen  years  continuous  service.  Mr.  Heeren,  who  had  arrived  the  year  be¬ 
fore,  was  appointed  to  take  charge  of  the  field  ;  but  he  had  no  sooner  acquired 
the  language  and  was  ready  for  work  than  his  health  failed,  and  he  returned 
home  to  die.  The  Tamil  field  was  at  this  time  left  with  but  two  ordained  mis¬ 
sionaries.  To  relieve  Madanapalle  was  out  of  the  question.  From  1873  to  1878 
the  station  was  left  without  a  resident  missionary. 

Nor  was  that  all :  the  necessities  of  the  mission  in  caring  for  the  many  villages 
that  came  over  in  the  Tamil  district,  and  the  lack  of  funds  to  employ  more 
native  assistants,  compelled  them  to  move  down  all  the  native  helpers  from  the 
Madanapalle  out-stations,  so  that  when  Dr.  Chamberlain  returned  to  India,  at 
the  close  of  1878,  he  found  but  one  native  assistant  left  to  care  for  the  station 
and  out-stations  twenty  miles  away.  The  people  in  the  villages  had  been 
left  as  sheep  without  a  shepherd,  and  it  is  no  wonder  thev  were  scattered. 

Dr.  Chamberlain  began  with  his  wonted  energy  to  rebuild  his  work,  and  within 
three  years  the  station  exhibited  a  marked  change.  Efficient  native  helpers  were 
secured;  village  buildings  that  had  fallen  to  decay  were  repaired;  new  out-stations 
were  occupied  ;  boarding  schools  were  established,  and  buildings  for  the  same 
erected,  and  a  house  for  the  missionary  begun.  But  the  physical  strain  was  too 
great.  In  1881,  he  was  prostrated  with  severe  illness.  A  voyage  to  Australia  only 
partially  restored  him ;  but  he  returned  to  his  station,  resumed  his  work,  and  al¬ 
though  advised  by  his  physicians  to  leave  the  tropics,  for  more  than  a  year  he 
kept  his  post,  and  would  not  and  did  not  desert  it  till  some  one  was  sent  to  re¬ 
lieve  him.  Will  the  Church  abandon  a  post  maintained  so  long  under  such  diffi¬ 
culties  ?  But,  if  it  is  to  be  held,  two  more  missionaries  must  be  sent  to  the  field.  It 
is  absurd  to  suppose  that  one  missionary  can  work  a  field  as  large  as  one  of  our 
States.  Is  it  not  a  cause  for  humiliation  that  the  Church  should  have  furnished  » 
the  Telugu  field  with  but  one  laborer  since  it  was  first  occupied  twenty-three  years 

ago  ? 

Let  us  now  consider  what  such  enlargement  of  the  work,  as  I  have  suggested, 
would  cost.  To  maintain  three  new  missionaries,  one  for  the  Tamil  and  two  for 
the  Telugu  field,  as  well  as  a  teacher  for  the  seminary  ;  to  raise  the  standard  of 
our  educational  institutions,  and  carry  them  on  efficiently  ;  to  resume  evangelistic 


22 


Fonda  Conference  Papers. 


tours  as  formerly,  would  require  an  additional  outlay  of  not  less  than  $9,000,  an¬ 
nually.  It  is  not,  of  course,  expected  that  this  sum  would  be  granted  in  a  single 
year;  but  cannot  the  appropriation  to  the  Arcot  Mission  be  increased  by  annual 
increments  of  $3,000  until  the  above  amount  is  reached  }  The  present  appropria¬ 
tion  to  our  mission  is  about  $27,500.  We  ask  to  have  it  increased  to  $36,500.  Is 
this  too  much  to  expect  of  the  Church  }  It  is  $3,000  less  than  the  Japan  Mission 
has  received  for  the  last  two  years ;  and  $5,000  less  than  the  American  Board 
grants  to  its  mission  in  southern  India,  which  occupies  a  district  one-third 
smaller  than  ours.  The  average  appropriation  to  the  Arcot  Mission  for  the  five 
years,  1870  to  1875,  was  $28,742,  or  $1,242  more  than  it  is  now.  The  average  con¬ 
tributions  of  our  Church  for  those  same  years  was  $65,969.  Now  they  amount  to 
$80,000.  Had  the  appropriations  to  these  missions  been  proportionately  advanced, 
the  Arcot  Mission  would  to-day  be  receiving  $39,500  of  this  sum.  We  do  not 
grudge  a  single  dollar  that  goes  to  Japan.  God  grant  that  the  Church  may  be 
able  to  double  and  even  quadruple  its  appropriation  to  the  mission  there,  and 
may  our  hopes  regarding  the  speedy  evangelization  of  that  country  be  realized  ; 
but  is  it  not  a  question  worthy  of  consideration,  whether  work  in  an  old  mis¬ 
sion  should  be  retarded,  in  order  to  advance  in  a  new  field  ? 

And  is  not  the  Arcot  Mission  worthy  of  the  Church’s  confidence  and  sup¬ 
port .?  Glance  for  a  moment  at  the  results  of  her  missionaries’  labors.  Scarcely 
thirty-two  years  have  elapsed  since  the  Mission  was  founded.  We  have  seen 
how  utterly  inadequate  to  the  field  the  Missionary  force  has  been.  And  yet  at 
the  close  of  last  year,  we  find  reported  twenty-three  organized  churches  with 
1,600  communicants,  and  3,832  baptised  members ;  congregations  at  seventy-five 
different  points, with  a  Christian  community  of  5>376  souls;  eighty-five  schools 
in  which  are  reading  2,180  pupils;  747  of  whom  are  girls.  Our  church  mem¬ 
bers  and  native  Christians  have  more  than  doubled  with  each  decade. 

Nor  has  the  advance  been  merely  in  numbers.  Our  church  members  have 
made  steady  progress  in  all  that  tends  to  give  strength  and  stability  to  a  Christian 
community.  We  maintain  (and  here  we  give  substantially  the  testimony  of  Dr. 
Caldwell  regarding  the  Tinnevelly  Christians)  that  the  Christians  of  our  Indian 
Mission  have  no  need  to  shrink  from  comparison  with  Christians  in  a  similar 
station  in  life,  and  similarly  circumstanced  in  America  or  any  part  of  the  world. 
We  think  we  do  not  exaggerate  when  we  affirm  that  they  appear  to  us  in  general 
more  teachable  and  tractable  ;  more  respectful  to  superiors ;  more  patient  and 
gentle  ;  more  trustful  in  Providence  ;  better  Church-goers,  yet  free  from  religious 
bigotry;  and,  in  proportion  to  their  means,  more  liberal  than  Christians  in 
America,  holding  a  similar  position  in  the  social  scale.  We  do  not  pretend  for  a 
moment  that  they  are  free  from  imperfections,  but  we  are  bound  to  say  that 
when  we  look  back  upon  the  Christians  of  India  from  a  distance,  when  we  com¬ 
pare  them  with  what  we  have  seen  and  known  of  Christians  here  in  America,  we 
find  that  their  good  qualities  have  left  a  deeper  impression  upon  us  than  their 
imperfections  ;  and  we  further  see  and  know  that  in  the  Christians  of  Arcot,  as 
well  as  in  the  Christians  of  America,  may  be  traced  distinct  marks  and  proof  of  the 
power  of  the  Gospel — new  sympathies  and  virtues,  and  a  new  heavenward  aim. 
Nor  is  the  fact  that  a  majority  of  our  converts  have  come  from  the  lower  classes 
any  reason  for  discouragement.  It  is  universally  admitted  b}''  all  who  are  ac¬ 
quainted  with  the  social  and  religious  systems  of  the  Hindus,  that  it  is  better  for 
Christianity  to  begin  in  the  manner  it  has — from  the  lower  classes,  and  work  up¬ 
wards.  In  no  other  way  do  we  see  how  the  pernicious  caste  distinctions  which 
are  the  bane  of  Hindu  society,  can  be  kept  out  of  our  churches.  Although  the 
native  church  may  be  longer  dependent  upon  the  liberality  of  Christians  in 


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23 


America,  still  she  is  more  firmly*^established,  her  members  are  stronger  and 
holier,  and  the  spirit  of  unity  and  brotherly  love  that  they  exhibit  are  a  constant 
rebuke  to  the- proud  caste  spirit  of  the  heathen.  As  the  native  church  advances 
in  intelligence  and  influence,  the  high-caste  Hindus  cease  to  think  of  the  low 
origin  of  her  members,  and  are  attracted  by  the  kindness  and  love  that  they  ex¬ 
hibit.  Already  the  gulf  that  separates  high-caste  heathen  from  the  native 
Christian  community  has  been  considerably  narrowed,  and  the  day  will  soon 
come  when  it  will  be  completely  bridged. 

Let  the  Reformed  Church  consider  well  before  she  decides  to  contract  her 
work  in  India.  Other  lands  have  their  points  of  interest  and  attraction,  but  out¬ 
side  of  Christendom,  no  land  presents  such  claims  upon  the  Church  as  India. 
“  The  evangelization  of  this  vast  empire  is  the  greatest  distinctive  enterprise  ever 
attempted  by  the  Church  of  Christ.”  Not  in  China  nor  Japan  ;  not  even  in 
Ancient  Greece  and  Rome,  has  the  Gospel  encountered  such  an  antagonist  as  in 
India.  We  do  not  hesitate  to  affirm  that  when  Hinduism  falls — as  fall  it  will — 
Christianity  will  have  gained  its  greatest  single  triumph.  The  various  churches 
of  Europe  and  America  are  now  vieing  with  one  another  as  to  which  shall  ac¬ 
complish -the  most  in  this  great  field.  The  last  Decennial  Conference  Report 
shows  no  fewer  than  forty-five  missionary  societies  laboring  in  India.  The  same 
report  tells  us  that  the  native  Christian  community  there  is  doubling  every 
twenty  years. 

But  we  hear  some  one  say,  Japan  will  be  a  Christian  country  in  twenty-five 
years  ;  let  us  evangelize  Japan  first,  and  extend  our  efforts  in  India  afterwards. 
Should  the  Reformed  Church  adopt  such  a  policy,  there  will  be  no  ground  that 
she  can  call  her  own  in  India  at  the  end  of  a  quarter  of  a  century. 
Missionary  societies  are  crowding  upon  our  field  upon  every  side.  The  Danish 
and  Leipzig  Lutherans  are  pressing  us  on  the  south,  the  Hermannsburg  Lutherans 
and  the  London  Mission  are  advancing  upon  us  on  the  north,  and  the  English 
Wesleyan  and  Scotch  Societies  are  forcing  us  to  contract  our  field  on  the  east  and 
west.  We  repeat  it,  we  must  be  re-enforced,  and  that  speedily,  if  we  are  to  hold 
our  own. 

If  it  cannot  be  done  ;  if  our  force  cannot  be  increased  so  as  to  carry  on  the 
work  efficiently,  then  let  us  adopt  the  other  alternative,  relinquish  a  part  of  the 
field,  and  hand  it  over  to  some  other  society  that  is  able  to  care  for  it.  The 
Church  should  not  force  her  missionaries  to  follow  a  “  dog  in  the  manger 
policy  any  longer.  Is  it  not  positively  wrong  for  us  to  prevent  other  societies 
from  entering  our  field  when  we  do  not  work  it  ourselves  } 

We  must  either  advance,  or  let  others  advance  in  our  stead.  Which  shall  itbe.^ 


V. 

THE  DIVINE  PURPOSE  IN  MISSIONS. 

By  the  Rev.  P.  E.  Kipp,  Schenectady,  N.  Y. 

Christianity  is  here ;  it  has  imbedded  itself  in  the  world.  It  asks  no  favors  of 
the  world.  Its  language  is  not,  by  your  leave  I  will  take  this  humble  corner  in 
the  family  of  nations  ;  but,  I  am  on  a  march  of  conquest.  I  have  planted  one  foot 
on  Europe,  another  on  America,  the  next  will  be  on  Asia,  the  next  on  Africa,, 
then  the  world  will  be  mine.  Will  you  go  with  me  ?  Will  you  take  a  seat  in  my 


24 


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triumphal  car,  or  must  its  glowing  wheels  roll  over  your  obstructing  body?  The 
day  for  apologies  has  gone;  this  is  the  day  of  Christianity’s  challenge.  It  places 
itself  squarely  before  the  world  and  challenges  men  with,  “  Come  and  see.”  Look 
at  my  claims,  they  are  world-wide.  Look  at  my  credentials,  they  are  the  auto¬ 
graph  of  God.  Unroll  the  promises  and  look  at  my  charter.  A  splendid  destiny 
is  marked  out  for  me  ;  already  the  world  is  casting  up  the  highway  for  my 
triumph.  And  Christianity  is  saying  to  you  and  me — run,  knock  at  the  door  of 
nations  and  demand  their  surrender  to  Jesus,  tell  them  the  King  of  Glory  is 
coming,  and  He  demands  the  key. 

It  is  time  to  change  our  ground.  Missions  must  no  longer  stand  on  the  defen¬ 
sive,  they  must  assume  the  aggressive.  We  must  change  our  whole  tone,  no 
longer  timidly  ask  the  Church  for  its  leave  to  introduce  the  subject.  We  must 
place  it  in  the  forefront.  Tell  the  Church  this  is  the  object  for  which  she  was  born, 
accomplish  it  or  die.  This  was  no  afterthought  of  God,  it  was  carefully  planned 
from  the  beginning.  Christianity  was  meant  for  the  whole  world;  when  missions 
are  pushing  their  conquests  they  are  but  carrying  out  the  divine  purpose.  That 
purpose  I  shall  try  to  show  by  sketching  in  the  most  rapid  way  six  lines  of 
proof. 

1.  Prophecy.  This  has  made  the  boundary  of  Christ’s  kingdom  coterminous 
with  the  horizons  of  the  world.  Prophecy  has  not  been  afraid  to  go  on  record. 
The  sibyls  never  wrote,  they  spake.  The  prophets  wrote  and  left  their  words  to 
be  tested  by  time.  Place  history  by  the  side  of  prophecy  and  see  whether  they 
agree.  Ezekiel  has  left  a  hand-book  on  the  future  of  Tyre.  So  accurately  does 
history  confirm  prophecy  that  one  is  almost  tempted  to  believe  that  Ezekiel 
wrote  after  the  events  ;  that  it  was  a  post-diction  rather  than  a  prediction.  Raw- 
linson  has  given  the  history  of  Egypt  and  Babylon  almost  in  the  language  of 
Isaiah,  Jeremiah,  Ezekiel,  and  Daniel.  Mr.  Layard  corroborates  Zephaniah  in 
every  detail  of  his  prophecy  concerning  Nineveh. 

It  would  almost  seem  that  the  types  which  have  printed  the  destruction  of 
Jerusalem  had  been  set  up  by  the  hands  of  Jesus  and  the  prophets,  and  had  been 
kept  in  press  until  the  events  had  come  round  to  justify  them. 

There  are  more  than  400  distinct  and  particular  prophecies  relating  to  the  per¬ 
son  of  Christ.  Are  they  true?  Are  every  one  of  them  true,  down  to  the  most 
minute  detail  true,  as  the  photograph  is  true  to  its  subject.  If  so,  then  we 
must  give  some  confidence  to  the  voice  of  prophecy.  Now  what  has  that  voice 
to  say  of  the  extension  of  Christ’s  Kingdom?  This — Zech.  ix:  9,  10.  “Rejoice 
greatly  O  daughter  of  Zion  ;  shout  O  daughter  of  Jerusalem,  behold  thy  king 
cometh  unto  thee.  He  is  just  and  having  salvation  ;  lowly  and  riding  upon  an 
ass  and  upon  a  colt,  the  foal  of  an  ass.  (There  can  be  no  mistake  in  the  person.) 
And  He  shall  speak  peace  unto  the  heathen,  and  His  dominion  shall  be  from  sea 
to  sea,  and  from  the  river  even  to  the  ends  of  the  earth.” 

Now  if  Tyre  and  Sidon  and  Egypt  and  Babylon  and  Nineveh  and  Jerusalem 
followed  exactly  in  the  track  marked  out  for  them  by  the  finger  of  prophecy, 
shall  we  not  expect  the  church  to  do  the  same  ? 

2.  Promise.  God  has  recorded  His  promises  in  a  book  which  He  has  Himself 
been  careful  to  preserve  as  a  witness  to  His  fidelity  or  to  His  faithlessness.  This 
is  His  sacred  promise  to  His  Son. — “  I  will  declare  the  decree  ;  the  Lord  hath  said 
unto  me.  Thou  art  my  son,  this  day  have  I  begotten  thee.  Ask  of  me  and  I  shall 
give  thee  the  heathen  for  thine  inheritance  and  the  uttermost  parts  of  the  earth  for 
thy  possession.”  Will  the  unbroken  record  of  covenant  faithfulness  fail  here  ? 
The  heathen  shall  be  Christ’s  or  the  decree  of  God  for  the  first  time  shall  be 


Fonda  Conference  Papers.  *  25 

broken  ;  the  uttermost  parts  of  the  earth  shall  be  His  possession,  or  the  will  and 
testament  of  Almighty  God  is  not  worth  the  paper  on  which  it  is  written. 

Just  here  let  me  throw  out  the  suggestion  that  this  is  the  inheritance  of  the 
saints.  The  Christian  s  inheritan^ce  is  not  that  cloudy  thing  we  have  dreamed 
of,  it  is  here,  right  at  our  hands,  tangible  and  visible ;  it  is  the  heathen.  God’s 
promise  makes  it  sure. 

3.  Providence.  History’is  a  chaos  except  in  one  light.  Leave  out  the  factor 
of  the  Church  of  Christ  and  the  facts  of  history  are  as  so  many  beads  scattered 
on  the  floor.  Follow  the  line  marked  out  by  the  Church  and  you  will  see  that 
every  bead  is  strung  on  that  thread  and  sparkles  with  glorious  meaning.  Would 
you  understand  the  significance  of  the  Roman  Empire  }  Its  arms  which  held 
conflicting  tribes  in  peace  ;  its  citizenship,  which  made  it  safe  for  a  Roman  to 
go  where  he  would ;  its  roads,  which  opened  such  facilities  for  travel  ;  its  lan¬ 
guage,  which  became  the  vernacular  of  the  world  }  The  significance  of  all  these 
concentrates  in  the  Church  of  Jesus.  When  that  Church  had  been  fostered  and 
had  spread  to  the  bounds  of  that  empire,  Rome  could  do  no  more  for  her  and 
Rome  fell. 

The  Greek  language  had  been  developed  to  its  highest  perfection  when  Christ 
came  ;  why  }  That  it  might  be  the  classic  alabaster  box  to  hold  the  precious 
ointment  of  the  Gospel.  Soon  after  it  became  a  dead  language,  because  it  was 
necessary  that  the  box  should  be  closed  and  sealed. 

See  how  the  downfall  of  the  empire  turns  out  to  the  interest  of  the  Church. 
The  barbaric  tribes  must  come  under  the  influence  of  the  Gospel ;  they  can  be 
tempted  out  of  their  dark  forests  to  come  down  where  more  genial  influence 
shall  soften  their  character,  only  by  the  prospect  of  plunder.  So  the  empire  shall 
be  dismembered  and  divided  among  them,  and  lo,  they  receive  something  richer 
than  spoils. 

The  victors  accept  a  religion  at  the  hands  of  the  vanquished.  In  the  first  cen¬ 
tury  persecution  sends  the  Gospel  to  the  heathen  ;  in  the  fifth  century  the  heathen 
are  brought  to  the  Gospel,  and  so  it  extends  over  all  Europe. 

The  wonder  is,  not  that  religion  was  crude  and  the  age  so  dark  immediately 
before  the  great  reformation,  rather  the  w^onder  was  that  the  slime  and  sediment 
brought  down  by  the  streams  of  the  inflowing  tribes  had  not  overlaid  the  church 
with  a  thicker  crust  of  sensuality  and  sin. 

Then  comes  the  Reformation  and  the  translation  of  the  Bible  into  the  language 
of  the  people.  But  the  Bible  is  translated  not  too  soon,  not  too  late.  The  press 
is  ready  to  take  up  the  word  of  God  and  scatter  the  seed  broadcast  And  so  the 
Bible  and  the  printing-press  meet  and  are  married,  and  hand  in  hand  they  go  on 
under  the  lead  of  Providence. 

Commerce  finds  its  way  to  India  under  the  charter  of  the  East  India  Company. 
Why  }  To  put  the  Gospel  in  India.  China’s  walls  of  exclusiveness  must  go  down, 
even  though  it  be  at  the  mouth  of  the  cannons  of  the  opium  war.  Why  }  Be¬ 
cause  the  Gospel  had  knocked  for  entrance.  Japan  opens  her  port  to  salute  the 
flagship  which  brings  her  the  Gospel. 

And  now  what  is  the  meaning  of  all  this  progress  of  the  nineteenth  century  } 
This  is  to  the  world  what  the  Augustan  age  was  to  Rome,  and  you  will  find  the 
key  to  unlock  the  meaning  of  this  age  back  in  the  age  that  preceded  the  birth  of 
Christ. 

To-day  the  arts  of  peace  take  the  place  of  the  arms  of  Rome ;  railroads  are 
substituted  for  Rome’s  marvelous  post-roads;  the  English,  like  the  Latin,  is  rap¬ 
idly  becoming  the  universal  language,  we  too  are  entering  the  era  of  universal 


26 


Fonda  Conference  Papers, 


peace,  public  opinion  is  hushing  the  conflict  of  nations  instead  of  Roman  legions. 
And  what  is  it  all  for?  Onlyto  give  speed  to  the  feet  of  them  that  publish  good 
tidings.  The  world  is  rapidly  getting  ready  for  another  coming  of  Christ. 

Formerly  it  was  said  :  “  All  roads  lead  to  Rome.”  Now  watch  the  roads  on 
which  Providence  is  conducting  the  world.  If  you  cannot  see  that  they  all  lead 
to  the  Church  of  Christ  you  are  either  biased  or  blind. 

4.  Progress.  Whatever  Christianity  has  gained  it  has  fairly  won  in  the  face 
of  the  strongest  opposition.  Herod  sought  the  young  child’s  life,  but  he  was 
only  leading  the  opposition  of  Judaism.  Behind  the  opposition  of  Pilate  stood 
the  whole  power  of  the  Roman  Empire.  Ten  times  that  Empire  hurled  its  might 
against  the  Christian  Church  in  dreadful  persecution,  from  Nero  to  Diocletian. 

Then  Paganism  entered  the  lists,  “  Take  your  place  peaceably  by  our  side,  said 
the  religions  of  the  world  to  Christianity,  and  we  will  give  you  room.”  No! 
Christianity  has  come  to  displace  all  other  religions.  “Then  prepare  for  a  war 
of  extermination.”  She  prepares  and  she  conquers. 

Next  infidelity  hurls  itself  against  this  hated  religion,  from  the  courtly  polished 
Julian  down,  way  down,  to  the  ribald  Ingersoll. 

But  upon  the  tombs  of  all  may  be  written  the  words  which  the  angel  spake  of 
the  first  opposers  of  Christianity,  “  They  are  dead  which  sought  the  young  child’s 
life.”  They — their  books,  their  influence,  their  memory — are  all  dead,  buried  and 
long  ago  forgotten,  but  the  young  child  lives.  That  is  not  all.  Human  nature 
itself  is  opposed  to  Christianity.  Every  single  convert  must  be  captured,  not 
one  voluntarily  surrenders. 

But  with  all  this  against  her,  how  goes  the  battle?  Can  there  be  any  progress? 
To-day  all  the  strongholds  have  been  taken  and  turned  against  the  enemy.  The 
foremost  nations  of  the  world  are  Christian.  A  new  spirit  of  missions  has  been 
breathed  upon  the  Church  within  the  last  few  decades,  and  the  progress  of  the 
Church  has  been  beyond  all  precedent.  Pentecost  has  literally  been  outdone,  and 
the  nineteenth  century  has  thrown  the  first  into  the  shade. 

The  story  of  the  progress  of  missions  for  the  last  twenty-five  years  reads  like  a 
romance,  its  triumphs  have  almost  been  beyond  belief.  I  have  no  time  so  much 
as  to  glance  at  them.  ^  Read  them.  This  age  is  writing  long  chapters  in  the 
second  book  of  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles.  But  remember,  please,  that  these  blood¬ 
less  triumphs  mean  conquests ;  not  concessions.  And  best  of  all,  the  tide  of 
thought  in  the  Christian  world  is  rising  steadily  in  favor  of  missions.  Never, 
since  Pentecost,  such  wide  interest  and  such  vast  efforts  as  now. 

5.  Its  Potency.  Christianity  meets  the  demand  of  the  whole  world.  All 
men  want  Christianity.  Their  souls  want  it,  because  there  is  salvation  in  none 
other,  their  intellects  crave  it,  for  their  is  no  true  psychology  without  it ;  their 
bodies  need  it,  for  the  most  blessed  physical  effects  have  followed  it ;  their  poli¬ 
tics  require  it,  for  there  can  be  no  lasting  settlement  of  national  and  international 
questions  without  it. 

“  Nature  abhors  a  vacuum,”  said  the  old-time  physicists.  There  is  a  big 
vacuum  in  the  world,  and  Christianity  alone  can  fill  it.  Christianity  is  not  an 
ethnic  religion,  it  is  a  catholic  religion,  it  is  bounded  by  no  geographical  lines, 
hindered  by  no  climatic  changes.  Other  religions  will  not  bear  transplanting* 
Brahminism  grows  only  where  it  was  born,  it  flourishes  in  India,  but  not  in 
America.  Confucianism  thrives  in  China,  because  it  adapts  itself  to  that  people 
only.  Mohammedanism  will  not  take  root  in  the  temperate  zone.  But  Chris¬ 
tianity  is  not  tribal,  it  is  universal.  It  binds  up  the  broken  heart  as  well  in 
Africa  as  it  does  in  England ;  it  satisfies  the  craving  of  an  immortal  soul  as  well 


Fonda  Conference  Papers. 


27 


in  Japan  as  in  Germany,  The  peace  of  God  is  just  as  soothing  to  a  wounded  con¬ 
science  under  the  equator  as  in  our  latitude.  Its  own  potency  is  proof  that  God 
meant  Christianity  for  the  world.  And 

6.  The  Persons  Engaged  in  it.  God  the  Father  planned  it ;  God  the  Son 
executed  it;  God  the  Spirit  is  operating  it.  Put  God  the  Triune  in  any  move¬ 
ment  and  what  must  be  the  result? 

The  First  Person  of  the  blessed  Trinity  is  the  Father  of  Foreign  Missions;  the 
Second  Person  of  the  blessed  Trinity  is  the  Pioneer  of  Foreign  Missions;  the 
Third  Person  of  the  blessed  Trinity  is  the  Spirit  that  broods  over  and  animates, 
the  whole  missionary  cause. 

And  good  men  are  in  it.  Call  the  roll  of  names  that  deserve  the  highest  men¬ 
tion,  and  they  will  be  those  who  have  fallen  in  line  with  St.  Paul.  That  line  is 
the  galaxy  of  brilliant  stars  that  spans  the  firmament  above  our  earth.  Yes,  and 
wealthy  men  are  in  it.  The  Earl  of  Shaftesbury,  who  has  just  gone  to  join  the 
peerage  whom  the  Sovereign  of  heaven  has  knighted  ;  he  loved  it.  Merchant 
princes,  who  can  command  public  statues,  gave  their  time  to  it,  and  have  be¬ 
queathed  their  millions  to  the  spread  of  missions.  Wealth  is  pouring  rapidly 
into  the  treasury.  Jesus  has  always  had  myrrh,  He  is  now  receiving  the  world’s, 
gold  and  frankincense. 

Now  given  these  two  factors — the  Triune  God  to  manage  missions,  and  ten 
millions  a  year  as  a  free-will  offering,  and  arithmetic  fails  to  compute  the  results.. 
Why  put  only  five  barley  loaves  and  two  small  fishes  in  the  hands  of  Jesus,  so 
that  He  can  bless,  and  at  least  15,000  people  go  away  fed  and  leave  twelve  baskets- 
full  unused. 

Put  one  dollar  in  the  hands  of  Christ,  so  that  He  can  bless  it,  and  no  one  can 
tell  what  it  may  accomplish.  Only  be  sure  that  God  is  in  the  movement  and  suc¬ 
cess  is  sure.  And  God  must  be  in  it;  prophecy,  promise,  providence,  progress,, 
potency,  persons  engaged  in  it,  all  unite  in  overwhelming  proof  that  a  divine 
purpose  has  marked  out  for  missions  a  course  to  universal  conquest.  “Jesus, 
shall  reign  where’er  the  sun  does  his  successive qournies  run,”  and  nothing  can 
prevent. 

Missions  are  marching  on  to  victory,  and  it  is  only  a  question  of  time  when 
Christ  shall  seize  and  sway  the  universal  sceptre. 

Jesus  Christ  is  no  longer  riding  the  ass’  colt ;  He  has  mounted  the  locomotive, 
and  His  hand  is  on  the  throttle  valve;  Christ’s  own  finger  touches  the  electric, 
line  that  is  gone  out  through  all  the  earth,  whose  words  flash  to  the  end  of  the 
world.  The  magnificent  enginery  we  call  civilization  is  in  His  hand.  And  the 
question  narrows  itself  down  to  this — do  you  want  a  share  in  the  glorious  triumph  ? 

I  will  no  longer  ask  the  aid  nor  the  alms  of  men  for  Foreign  Missions.  I  shall 
say  to  them  ;  Brother  men!  Jesus  Christ  has  pre-empted  the  world  ;  the  Foreign 
Missionaries  are  His  surveyors  to  stake  out  His  claim.  They  are  driving  down 
those  stakes  at  the  northern  and  the  southern,  and  the  eastern  and  the  western 
extremities  of  every  continent,  and  every  foot  between  belongs  to  King  Jesus. 

.  This  is  the  biggest  bonanza  that  ever  opened  its  subscription  books  on  earth 
how  many  shares  do  you  want  ? 

The  dreams  of  the  fabulous  wealth  of  the  Indies,  that  animated  the  early  dis¬ 
coverers,  are  all  true,  nay  they  are  far  beneath  the  truth.  The  wealth  of  the 
Indies,  of  China,  of  Africa  are  beyond  description  of  the  most  excited  fancy;, 
whole  continents  of  the  rarest  jewels  may  be  had  for  the  gathering. 

The  Foreign  Missionary  Society  is  the  firm  in  which  God  the  Triune,  you  and 
I  are  partners  for  the  mining  of  this  fabulous  wealth.  I  shall  say  :  Men  !  by  God’s. 


28 


Fonda  Conference  Papers, 


condescending  grace  I  am  permitted  to  offer  you  the  opportunity  of  investing  in 
this  Eldorado.  It  is  a  safe  investment,  our  eyes  have  already  seen  its  success. 

“  Blessed  are  your  eyes  for  they  see,  and  your  ears  for  they  hear.  For  verily  I 
say  unto  you  that  many  prophets  and  righteous  men  have  desired  to  see  those 
things  which  ye  see  and  have  not  seen  them,  and  to  hear  those  things  which  ye 
hear  and  have  not  heard  them.”  And  yet  those  men  invested  their  all  in  this 
great  project.  Say  !  in  full  sight  of  the  great  consummation,  from  this  Pisgah 
height  from  which  the  promised  land  is  plainly  visible,  what  do  you  wish  to  in¬ 
vest  in  this  partnership  with  the  Almighty  }  Now  is  3^our  chance  ;  in  all  eternity 
3^ou  will  never  have  one  like  it. 

No ;  no  !  I  will  not  ask  men  to  give  as  a  favor.  When  did  Christ  ever  ask 
favors  of  any  man  ?  He  always  bestowed  favors  :  He  does  so  now. 

When  He  gives  you  this  opportunity  He  is  bestowing  upon  you  the  greatest 
boon  you  ever  had  next  to  your  own  eternal  life. 

My  brothers,  this  is  the  most  advanced  age  of  all  the  ages.  But  1  tell  you,  the  most 
advanced  movement  in  this  most  advanced  age  is  the  missionary  movement.  He 
who  does  not  keep  abreast  with  this  movement  is  behind  the  age.  Ah,  worse  ! 
he  is  losing  the  golden  opportunity  of  his  life. 


VI. 

HAVE  WE  REACHED  THE  LIMIT  OF  OUR  ABILITY 

AND  DUTY  ? 

By  Rev.  M.  H.  Hutton,  D.D.,  New  Brunswick,  N.  J. 

The  subject  assigned  by  the  Committee  to  Dr.  Hutton  was  ‘‘ Have  we  reached  the  limits 
of  our  Ability  and  duty  ?  ”  After  an  introduction  speaking  of  the  difficulty  in  adequately 
handling  such  complicated  topics  as  “  Ability  ”  and  “  Duty  ”  in  twenty  minutes,  Dr.  Hutton 
proceeded  substantially  as  follows  : 

I. — “Ability” — Have  we  reached  our  proper  limit  in  that 

Our  answer  to  that  question  might  seem  to  be  conditioned  largely  by  our  an¬ 
swer  to  another — what  is  ability  }  Do  you  mean  by  the  word  what  a  man  will 
do  with  an  ample  sense  of  reserve  power?  Or  do  you  mean  what  one  can  do 
without  serious  taxation  or  impairment  of  his  resources  ?  Or  do  you  mean  liter¬ 
ally  the  utmost  limit  of  his  power,  as  when  one  who  must  leap  .for  his  life,  with 
every  muscle  tense  and  every  nerve  strained,  springs  as  far  as  he  is  able,  and 
then  sinks  fainting,  or  dead  with  heart-stroke,  as  he  gains  his  leap?  Many  a 
man  has  said,  “  I  cannot  do  that ;  I  am  not  able,”  who,  when  stern  need  has  laid 
its  compelling  hand  on  him,  has  found  that  he  could  do  what  he  had  to  do. 
Necessity  often  conditions  “Ability.” 

But  we  need  not  stop  to  discuss  in  which  of  these  senses  we  shall  use  the  term, 
for  we  are  still  considerably  inside  the  lightest  one.  Look  for  a  moment  at  the 
confessed  state  of  the  case.  Our  denomination,  from  the  sobriety  of  its  views 
and  practices,  does  not  greatly  attract  to  it  the  more  volatile  elements  in  the 
community  who  live  on  excitement,  and  whose  pecuniary  responsibility  is  as 
volatile  as  themselves.  Our  people  belong  for  the  most  part  to  the  producing, 
and  not  to  the  non-producing  class  of  society.  We  are  indeed  no  longer  the  rich¬ 
est  of  the  denominations  for  our  size.  But  we  are  still  composed,  as  a  rule,  of 


Fonda  Conference  Papers. 


29 


sober,  industrious,  frugal,  thriving  men.  Calvinism  does  not  promote  pauperism. 
There  is  no  miracle  about  it.  It  could  easily  be  shown  that  the  logico-practical 
effect  of  that  Scriptural  system  of  doctrine  which  we  hold  so  vigorously  and  ten¬ 
aciously,  is  to  promote  physical  and  material  prosperity. 

Now  we  stand — so  say  our  latest  reports — eighty-three  thousand  seven 
hundred  and  two  members  strong.  A  few  of  these  are  really  poor,  but  very  few. 
There  are  also  child-members  who  earn  nothing.  But  even  deducting  these,  it  is 
not  an  excessive  computation  to  reckon  that  an  average  amount  of  two  and  a-half 
cents  a  week  would  be  within  the  ability  of  every  one.  Under  the  old  Jewish  law 
of  the  Tithe,  every  man  who  earned  six  dollars  a  week,  would  have  had  to  give 
sixty  cents  a  week.  But  God  never  taxed  any  man,  we  may  be  sure,  beyond  his 
“  ability.”  Surely  the  same  man  can  give  two  and  a-half  cents  under  the  Christ, 
ian  dispensation  without  hardship.  But  that  alone  from  our  members  as  above, 
would  bring  in  one  hundred  and  eight  thousand,  eight  hundred  and  twelve  dol¬ 
lars  and  sixty  cents.  Nor  is  that  all  the  source  of  income.  Not  more  than  two- 
thirds  of  our  ordinary  congregations  are  church-members.  Add  then,  this  third 
who  contribute  as  regularly  and  as  willingly  as  do  the  members.  It  would  give 
us  for  Foreign  Missions,  one  hundred  and  sixty-three  thousand,  two  hundred  and 
eighteen  dollars  and  sixty  cents  a  year,  and  that  without  a  strain,  to  a  people  who 
had  an  organized  willingness. 

Dear  brethren,  we  surely  cannot  be  said  to  have  reached  “the  limit  of  our  Abil¬ 
ity  ” — scarcely  to  be  within  sight  of  it. 

Or,  look  at  it  from  another  side. 

“Ability?”  Of  old  it  was  observed  that  where  there  is  a  will  there  is  a  way. 
Our  Dutch  forefathers  in  the  Hollow  Land  of  Europe,  showed  us  the  deep  foun¬ 
tains  from  which  “ability  ”  flows,  and  we  are  their  sons.  It  was  not  only  in  the 
shrewd  and  stealthy  statesmanship  of  William  the  Silent.  It  was  not  in  the 
martial  sagacity  of  Maurice  alone.  It  was  not  only  in  the  great  fortunes  of  the 
rich.  It  was  the  plain  Dutch  citizen  who  showed  that  the  open  secret  of  finan¬ 
cial  ability  lies  in  the  heart  behind.  Year  after  year — with  pierced  dykes  drown¬ 
ing  all  income  from  the  harvests — with  commerce  cut  off  the  high  seas  because 
their  ports  were  closed,  their  wharves  idle — with  a  vindictive  and  atrociously 
cruel  war,  trampling  with  its  bloody  hoof  those  naturally  fertile  acres  into  a  red 
desert — they  somehow  carried  all  that  fearful  financial  burden.  Who  has  for¬ 
gotten  Leyden  ?  When  shall  perish  the  deathless  story  of  the  high-hearted  citi¬ 
zens  who,  pressed  to  surrender  because  they  had  not  the  ‘  anility”  to  sustain 
themselves,  cried  “We  will  fight  with  our  right  arm,  and  feed  on  our  left!” 
These  were  our  ancestors  ecclesiastical.  The  blood  of  “  the  Church  under  the 
Cross  ”  is  in  our  veins.  We,  too,  can  do  the  like  :  as  they  for  liberty,  so  we  for 
our  blessed  Lord  and  for  His  kingdom.  Let  the  winds  which  blew  across  the 
Holland  polders  blow  across  our  lives  once  more,  and  the  same  ^Eolian  strings  will 
vibrate  in  the  ancient  harp.  Let  the  Holy  Spirit  consecrate  us  wholly,  and  our 
“  ability  ”  will  be  a  surprise  to  Christendom.  “We  can  do  all  things  through 
Christ  which  strengtheneth  us.” 

Have  we  reached  the  limit  of  our  “  Ability  ”  ?  As  before  the  white  throne  of 
the  Awful  God,  Answer  ! 

H. — I  MUST  PASS  TO  THE  SECOND  POINT  ASSIGNED  ME.  HaVE  WE  REACHED  THE 

LIMIT  OF  OUR  “  Duty  ”  ? 

Theologians  will  tell  us  that  in  some  aspects,  at  least,  lack  of  ability  does  not 
discharge  from  duty.  But,  laying  aside  that  consideration,  there  are  other 
sources  from  which  light  rays  in  on  this  question.  Observe  three  things  : 


30 


Fonda  Conference  Papers, 


One  of  them  is  the  familiar  fact  of  the  non-limitation  of  our  duty  by  our  Lord’s 
last  command.  It  is  not  merely  that  we  are  to  go  and  preach  the  gospel ;  we  are 
to  do  it  to  every  creature.  It  is  not  merely  that  it  is  to  be  done  for  a  while.  His 
‘  lo,  I  am  with  you  to  the  end  of  the  world,”  implies  that  to  the  end  of  the  world 
— the  Eon— the  Dispensation — He  expects  us  to  preach  it.  -The  world  is  not 
ended  yet;  it  shows  no  sign  of  ending.  Its  end — inconceivably  remote,  if  science 
be  pointing  her  finger  correctly — its  end  is  the  limit  of  our  duty. 

The  second  thing  which  throws  light  upon  the  subject  is  the  work  still  to  be 
done.  The  world’s  population  is  reckoned  at  fifteen  hundred  millions.  Nominal 
Christendom  is  still  less  than  one- third  of  the  whole.  Of  that  third,  Pro¬ 
testantism  is  but  a  half.  Of  that  sixth  of  nominal  Christians,  more  than  half 
are  reallv  godless,  worldly,  criminals,  debased.  Only  one  twelfth,  at  generous 
reckoning,  yet  won  for  Christ.  And  then  there  is  heathenism,  rooted  and 
grounded. 

In  India,  it  is  said,  after  almost  a  century  of  labor,  there  are  two  millions  of 
Christians.  It  looks  brilliant — until  you  set  against  it  the  two  hundred  and  sixty 
millions  of  dusky  pagans  yet  untouched  in  Hindustan.  And  that  is  a  favored  . 
land.  Look  at  China,  Burmah,  Corea,  Africa’s  heart.  No  man  can  look  steadily 
at  that  wide  sweep  of  labor  yet  to  be  done,  and  say  honestly,  “We  have  reached 
already  the  limit  of  our  duty.” 

Finally,  light  is  thrown  on  the  matter  by  the  example  of  our  blessed  Lord.  He 
left  us  an  example  that  we  should  walk  even  as  He  walked.  What  did  He  think 
His  duty.^  Not  to  us — looking  toward  us  it  is  all  grace;  undeserved  favor. 
But  He  thought  it  right  to  throw  Himself  headlong  into  this  very  work  to  which 
He  calls  us.  He  sent  forth  no  mere  compassionate  glances — He  sent  no  angel. 
“  In  the  volume  of  the  book  it  is  written  of  Me,  lo,  /  come  to  do  Thy  will,  O  God.” 
He  left  the  vast  immeasurable  glory  of  His  Father’s  house.  For  our  sake  He  be¬ 
came  poor.  That  was  His  idea  of  what  He  ought  to  do  to  save  men,  and  further 
His  kingdom.  He  thought  it  sober  duty  to  give  Hz77j self  body,  soul  and  spirit.  I 
lift  eyes  and  heart  toward  that  shining  example,  and  say,  Brethren  have  we 
reached  the  limit  of  our  Duty.^ 


VII. 

MISSIONARY  INFORMATION. 

By  Rev.  John  G.  Fagg,  Lawyersville,  N.  Y. 

The  old  maxim,  “  knowledge  is  power,”  applies  most  emphatically  to  every 
sphere  of  Christian  activity.  Information  is  the  basis  of  inspiration.  Informa¬ 
tion  is  the  basis  of  generous,  intelligent  giving.  How  can  we  measure  the  claims 
of  a  subject  about  which  we  are  ignorant.  How  can  we  give  or  pray  or  work  for 
that  about  which  we  know  scarcely  anything? 

The  enthusiasm  awakened  by  brilliant  addresses  and  the  magnetism  of  large 
gatherings  no  one  will  disparage.  The  flame  kindled  from  those  strong  fires  has 
sometimes  burned  through  a  lifetime.  Nevertheless,  it  will  not  be  denied  that 
many  on  these  occasions  are  galvanized  into  the  semblance  of  genuine  en¬ 
thusiasm,  and  no  sooner  is  the  special  electric  current  cut  off,  but  every  trace  of 
it  is  gone. 


Fonda  Conference  Papers.  3^ 

Shall  our  inspiration  be  more  than  a  “  patty-pan  ”  inspiration  ?  Shall  our  en¬ 
thusiasm  be  more  than  a  “  small-pot,  soon-hot  ”  enthusiasm,  it  must  be  fed  from 
the  storehouses  of  a  rich  and  varied  missionary  literature.  Our  missionary  liter¬ 
ature  divides  itself  into  two  classes,  missionary  papers  and  magazines,  and  mis¬ 
sionary  biography.  Secular  papers  are  found  in  nearly  every  home.  The  most 
secluded  backwoodsman  and  loneliest  prairie  farmer  can  tell  you  the  news.  In 
thousands  of  Christian  homes,  a  religious  paper,  much  less  a  missionary  paper, 
has  never  entered.  Crops  and  stock,  scandals  and  crimes  they  must  know  about, 
but  the  contemporary  life  of  the  Church,  the  record  of  great  awakenings,  the  in¬ 
flow  of  giant  errors,  the  victories  of  the  Lord’s  advance-guards  over  the  strong¬ 
holds  of  heathenism  are  to  them  matters  of  comparative  indifference.  Like  in¬ 
difference  during  the  war  of  the  Revolution  or  the  Rebellion  would  have 
impeached  a  citizen’s  patriotism.  Is  not  our  loyalty  to  Christ  called  in  question 
by  such  indifference  }  How  many  can  consistently  plead  the  excuse  of  poverty  } 
To  be  truly  grateful  for  encouragements,  to  give  more  liberally  and  intelligently, 
we  must  know  of  missionary  successes.  To  pray  more  definitely  and  earnestly, 
to  be  less  exacting  in  our  demand  for  results,  we  must  be  familar  with  the  dis¬ 
couragements,  the  strong  grip  of  hoary  superstitions  upon  the  benighted  mil¬ 
lions,  the  ostracism  and  persecution  following  confession  of  Christ.  To  that  end 
we  must  read  missionary  papers. 

And  m  this  matter  we  ought  to  cross  denominational  lines.  We  ought  not  to 
be  satisfied  with  our  own  monthlies  however  valuable  they  may  be.  Papers  like 
the  Missionary  Herald  (Congr.)  and  Foreign  Missionary  (Presb.)  ought  to  be 
found  on  every  pastor’s  study-table  and  in  many  of  our  homes,  where  the  addi¬ 
tional  expense  would  be  a  very  small  consideration.  They  are  ably  edited,  and, 
in  addition  to  den(>minational  information,  give  a  general  missionary  outlook. 
In  military  campaigns,  a  victory  on  any  part  of  the  field  is  an  inspiration  to  the 
whole  army.  So  every  victory  by  any  battalion  of  the  advance-line  of  the  Lord, 
ought  to  inspire  us  with  more  fidelity  and  zeal  in  that  part  of  the  field  entrusted 
to  us. 

Missionary  Biography.  In  almost  every  home,  lives  of  our  great  national 
heroes  and  statesmen  may  be  found — Washington  and  Franklin,  Clay  and 
Webster,  Lincoln  and  Garfield.  In  how  few  Christian  homes  do  we  find  the  lives 
of  Livingstone  and  Judson,  Duff  and  Martyn,  Patteson  and  Williams,  men  whose 
lives  would  form  a  second  eleventh  chapter  of  Hebrews  full  of  the  highest  and 
holiest  inspiration. 

Go  through  the  library  of  many  a  theological  student  and  Christian  pastor, 
and  you  may  see  shelf  upon  shelf  of  theology  and  Church  history  and  belles-let¬ 
tres,  but  not  one  volume  of  missionary  biography.  And  yet,  who  can  read  the 
liyes  of  any  of  these  men  without  having  his  faith  strengthened,  his  hopes 
brightened,  his  love  deepened,  his  zeal  awakened  to  do  and  dare  for  Christ’s 
sake.^  Whose  heart  will  not  be  stirred  by  the  dauntless  courage,  the  unflagging 
perseverance,  the  Christ-like  sympathy  of  David  Livingstone  }  Whose  faith  will 
not  be  strengthened  by  the  lofty  heroism  and  deep  piety  of  Adoniram  Judson  ? 
Said  Theodore  Parker,  after  reading  President  Wayland’s  “Life  of  Judson’’: 
“  If  Christian  missions  had  done  nothing  more  than  to  build  up  such  a  character 
it  is  worth  all  it  cost.”  What  pastor  will  not  feel  rebuked  and  blessed  as  well, 
who  after  a  few  years  of  faithful  preaching  and  no  apparent  results,  has  im¬ 
patiently  cried  out  “  How  long,  Oh  Lord,  how  long.?” — when  he  reads  the  lives  of 
Hans  Egede  and  Christian  David,  of  Moffat,  Morrison,  the  missionaries  of 
Samoa,  and  the  Baptists  among  the  Telugus.  Hans  Egede  went  to  Iceland, 


32 


Fonda  Conference  Papers. 


“  To  break  through  barriers  of  eternal  ice, 

A  vista  to  the  gates  of  Paradise, 

And  light  beneath  the  darkness  ot  the  Pole, 

The  tenfold  darkness  of  the  human  soul.” 

He  had  to  break  away  for  six  years  before  the  vista  was  opened  and  the  light 
brought  to  a  single  soul. 

Moffat  waited  and  watched  and  worked  for  seven  years,  Morrison  for  fourteen 
years,  the  missionaries  of  Samoa  sixteen  years,  the  Baptists  among  the  Telugus 
twenty-five  years,  before  one  piece  was  broken  from  the  granite  rock  of  heathen¬ 
ism.  Who  will  not  be  encouraged  by  the  successes  of  Titus  Coan,  who,  on  one 
day  baptised  1,700,  and  in  one  lifetime  led  10,000  souls  to  Christ;  of  Williams,, 
who  preached  the  gospel  to  300,000  South  Sea  Islanders,  and  in  the  great  taber¬ 
nacles  led  thousands  to  the  feet  of  the  great  Master,  as  repentant  sinners. 

Caesar  pored  over  the  life  of  Alexander  in  the  camps  of  Gaul.  Napoleon  fired 
his  ambition  with  the  conquests  of  Caesar.  Even  so  shall  we  be  quickened 
with  a  holy  and  abiding  enthusiasm  from  contact  with  the  lives  of  the  heroes  of 
our  modern  Christendom. 

We  trust  the  time  will  come — if  the  time  ever  comes,  when  men  seek  first  the: 
Kingdom  of  God — that  Christian  men  and  women  will  no  longer  remain  indif¬ 
ferently  ignorant  of  the  great  work  of  God  in  all  lands.  When  they  will  not  wait 
a  month  to  glance  over  the  few  pages  of  a  missionary  magazine,  but  will  want  to 
know  the  latest  news  of  the  advancement  of  Christ’s  Kingdom  every  week  or 
every  morning,  before  they  look  to  see  the  stock-list  or  the  scandal-list  of  the 
day  before.  When  the  question  of  the  morning  will  be,  “  What  new  progress, 
what  new  delays,  what  new  needs  for  the  advancing  hosts  of  Christian  warriors  ?’’ 
May  God  speed  that  day.  May  the  Lord  inspire  us  all  to  inquire,  not  in  derision,, 
not  indifferently,  but  believingly  of  the  watchmen  on  Zion’s  walls,  “  What  of  the 
night?  What  of  the  night  ?” 


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